80% of COVID-19 survivor reported ≥1 lingering symptom beyond 4 weeks post-infection, characterizing a syndrome called the long-COVID. Although primarily a respiratory disease, long-COVID has multiple impacts on other bodily systems, including “brain fog”, i.e. cognitive impairment, and neuropsychiatric sequelae. Two biological contributors to long-COVID are elevated pro-inflammatory markers and dysregulated gut microbiota, which are also risk factor causal of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Compounded with the existing increased risk in older adults, long-COVID-associated biological dysregulations will likely increase AD risk further in older adults with long-COVID and cognitive impairment (OACovCI). Addressing the scarcity of clinically effective intervention for long-COVID and informed by our previous trials on horticultural therapy and mindfulness intervention, this trans-disciplinary project will pilot a mindfulness in the park/nature RCT to examine if it is feasible and efficacious with OACovCI. We will implement a single-(assessor-) blinded, wait-list-controlled, pilot RCT (N=60; 30 mindfulness, 30 wait-list) with community-dwelling OACovCI.

• Not Recruiting