An 18-month meditation programme can increase the well-being of older persons, according to a new randomised controlled trial led by an international team co-directed by UCL. The findings, published in PLOS ONE, show that meditation can improve people's awareness, connection to others, and insight.

While the meditation training did not confer significant benefits on two commonly used measures of psychological well-being and quality of life, the researchers say their findings may reveal limitations in existing methods of tracking well-being. Lead author Marco Schlosser (UCL Psychiatry and University of Geneva) said: "As the global population ages, it is increasingly crucial to understand how we can support older adults in maintaining and deepening their psychological well-being.