Vol. 7, Issue 12, Part F (2021)

Life is a constant process of evolution which have different phases and old age is one of the integral part of human life which is unavoidable, undesirable, unwelcome and problem ridden phase of life. Getting older is however associated with the decrease in cognitive functioning which can have a serious influence on the physical and psychological health of older adults as well as their quality of life. There are several psychological problems which older adults go through some of the prominent ones are loneliness, depression, anxiety, sense of loss, worthless and so on. Multiple reasons can be listed for their problems or miseries but one of the eminent causes can be Empty Nest Syndrome which is swiftly elevating among the older adults due to on the hop schedules of their children and their family members. Empty Nest Syndrome is a sense of loss when children leaves home for their professional or personal purpose due to which parents starts experiencing the loss of self-esteem, difficulty in thinking and concentration, sleeplessness, loss of appetite and inability to deal with daily affairs, and the inability to relate to anything in life in a positive manner, the sense of loss of their parental lives and without any goal in their lives. Therefore, if these problems aren’t treated in time it might worsen the situation for the older adults to cope up with. Although there are numerous types of psychotherapies but Mindfulness based interventions are becoming widely accepted methods of addressing the symptoms associated with many commonly experienced mental health challenges or emotional concerns. Mindfulness is a construct that specifically targets attention and awareness of the present moment. It’s the state in which one becomes more aware of one's physical, mental, and emotional condition in the present moment, without becoming judgmental. Individuals may be able to pay attention to a variety of experiences, such as bodily sensations, cognitions, and feelings, and accept them without being influenced by them. Mindfulness practices are believed to be able to help people better control their thoughts, rather than be controlled by them. Recently, William Glasser developed a Reality therapy based on control theory which states that human brain is a system which regulates its own behaviour in order to manipulate the external world around it. Later Robert Wubbolding (1992) extended reality therapy and formulated WDEP system i.e. wants, doing, self-evaluation and planning which help older adults to work on their grief which was developed due to the absence of their children and learn to cope up with this emotionally distressed situation. Hence, Mindfulness and Reality Therapy works on the similar principle that focuses on the present and future, rather than solving unconscious conflicts. Through this therapy older adults can rejuvenate their lives by discovering their new interests, developing new relationships and learning to look forward towards the positive future and enjoy their older adulthood.