Real-life Dual-Task Training (Real-DTT)

Colorado State University (CSU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Fall

Treatments: Behavioral: Real-life Dual-Task Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06479694

5562

Details and patient eligibility

About

Older adults have difficulty optimizing two tasks at once and typically experience greater interference than younger adults when dual-tasking, meaningful that there is greater decline in performance of at least one task when comparing single and dual-tasking. Difficulty dual-tasking may actually predict falls in community-dwelling older adults. Dual-task training has been shown to improve cognitive outcomes (attention, memory), motor outcomes (balance, gait), and dual-task performance in older adults; however, most dual-task training involves simulated tasks that do not reflect functional dual tasks in the real world. Greater dual-task improvements could be seen when training functionally specific tasks. One way to increase task specificity is to offer real-life, contextually-relevant, dual-task training embedded in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Limited evidence exists for dual-task training interventions for older adults with T2DM; however there is early evidence of improvements in cognitive and motor effects with simulated dual-task training, which could translate to improved dual-task performance, reduced impact on everyday life, and reduced fall risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a real-life dual-task training program for older adults at risk to fall.

Enrollment: 36 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• at least 65 years old
• ambulatory around the home with or without an assistive device
• answered yes to at least one of the fall risk questions with their therapist
• scheduled to receive occupational therapy services with instrumental activity of daily living goals through Covell Care.

Exclusion criteria

• Not fluent in English
• Self-reported diagnosis of dementia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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36 participants in 1 patient group

Real-life Dual-Task Training

Experimental group

Description:

Ten real-life dual-task training sessions with explicit focus on motor and cognitive components of instrumental activities of daily living. Training occurs with a licensed occupational therapist.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Real-life Dual-Task Training