Cognitive Groove (Brought to You by GERAS DANCE)

McMaster University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Frailty Syndrome; Frailty in Aging; Frailty; Frail Older Adults

Treatments: Other: Dance Rehabilitation Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06870149

18231

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of a community-based rehabilitation intervention (Cognitive Groove, Brought to you by GERAS DANCE), compared to usual care, on clinical outcomes in community-dwelling older adults living with frailty. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. In community-dwelling older adults living with frailty, is Cognitive Groove more effective than usual care in improving functional movement, physical performance and strength?
2. In community-dwelling older adults living with frailty is Cognitive Groove more effective than usual care in improving frailty status, fear of falling, balance confidence, mood, cognition, grip strength, activities of daily living, life space mobility, loneliness, and quality of life?
3. As a community-based rehabilitation intervention, is Cognitive Groove a cost-effective intervention embedded within the community for older adults living with frailty after 12-months?

Participants will participate in Cognitive Groove classes twice per week for 3 months or receive no intervention (usual care).

Enrollment: 250 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 100 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Community-dwelling aged ≥65 years
• At high risk for mobility disability/functional limitations as assessed by the FRAIL Scale ≥2
• Able to ambulate independently (25 m) with or without an assistive device
• Able to follow two-step instructions
• Medical clearance from referring clinician, or for self-referrals, medical clearance from family physician to safely participate in exercise
• Can arrange transportation to the YMCA up to 2 times per week

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to speak or understand English
• Current regular participation in a structured exercise program or receiving active physical therapy services
• Severe cardiac or pulmonary disease
• Unstable angina or heart failure
• Severe osteoarthritis (e.g., awaiting joint replacement)
• Parkinson's disease or other progressive neurological disorder
• Receiving palliative care
• Travel/commitments requiring missing more than two weeks

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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250 participants in 2 patient groups

Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE)

Experimental group

Description:

Classes will occur twice per week for 3 months. Classes follow a consistent sequence of activities (orientation and socialization \[10-mins\]; warm-up \[5-mins\]; structured dance \[30-mins\]; cool-down \[5-mins\]; socialization and review of weekly hand-outs for balance exercises \[10-mins\]. The curriculum schedule includes five foundations and seven routines. Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) foundations emphasize learning the ABCs of movement and increasing participants' confidence to move their bodies forward and backward and side-to-side with improved speed and rhythmicity. Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) routines combine the foundational skills into full choreographed dances to music from the '50s and '60s (e.g., rock and roll, jazz, salsa, cha cha cha, rhythm soul, swing, disco, and Bollywood). Participants will receive an intervention-specific study manual that describes the homework exercises for each week.

Treatment:

Other: Dance Rehabilitation Intervention

Usual Care

No Intervention group

Description:

The control arm participants will continue with their usual care and normal activities. They will not receive any intervention during the study but will be given the opportunity to participate in Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) programming after the study.