Meditation for Dementia Caregivers Major Depressive Disorder in Family Dementia Caregivers

Exclusion Criteria

• •Current diagnosis of schizophrenia or any psychotic disorder including psychotic depression, mania, alcohol or drug dependence, mental retardation, any pervasive developmental disorder or cognitive disorder (according to DSM-IV) criteria.
• •2\. Medically unstable, delirious, or terminally ill (e.g. medical illness requiring hospitalization or intense outpatient management, such as heart disease; heart attack in the past 6 months; congestive heart failure; severe heart arrythmias; unstable hypertension; poorly controlled diabetes; or pending surgery).
• •3\. Past history of skull fracture; cranial surgery entering the calvarium; space occupying intracranial lesion; stroke/ aneurysm; Parkinson's or Huntington's disease; or Multiple Sclerosis.
• •4\. Participants regularly practicing (≥ 2 times per week) any of the techniques utilized in the study to reduce stress: meditation, guided imagery, yoga.
• •5\. Active suicidal plan, or suicide attempt within the past month. 6. Excessive use of alcohol, i.e., men whose alcohol consumption exceeds 14 standard drinks per week or 4 drinks per day, and women whose alcohol consumption exceeds 7 standard drinks per week or 3 drinks per day.
• •7\. Needing to adjust or change anti-depressant treatment, including medications, psychotherapy, repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), or Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS).
• •8\. Ideas of harm toward the care recipient, current violence, or an APS report on file.