Wellbeing support needs time to attend
An Australian aged-care study shows how staffing pressures can keep a carefully planned programme out of reach.
A Frontiers in Health Services study published on October 26 followed Mindfulness in Motion across five Australian residential aged-care sites. The eight-week programme combined meditation, gentle movement and reflection. About 1,090 staff received invitations to the main rollout; 22 registered and 11 began.
Availability is part of the offer
Researchers identified staffing shortages, heavy workloads, doubts about protected time and uneven organisational support as barriers. Only eight people, including six staff champions from an earlier phase, provided paired survey data. That small, self-selected group cannot establish programme effectiveness. Some participants valued the experience, but acceptability did not make attendance feasible. For teachers and organisers, the practical question starts before the session: can people actually leave their work to take part? Shorter or more flexible formats still need testing, alongside credible staffing support.
Sources
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