Real-life Dual-Task Training

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Fall

• Registration Number: NCT06479694
• Lead Sponsor: Colorado State University

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-06-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-06-24
• Study First Posted: 2024-06-28
• Study Start: 2024-07-03
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-19
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-20
• Primary Completion: 2026-07-01
• Study Completion: 2026-07-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 36

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Dual-Task Impact on Daily-living Activities Questionnaire	baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention	The Dual-Task Impact on Daily-living Activities Questionnaire is a 19 question self-report assessment with scoring from 0-76. Higher scores indicate greater dual-task inference during daily activities.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Dual-Task Performance	baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention	Dual-task performance will be classified into one of 4 categories (gait priority trade off, cognitive priority trade off, mutual interference, or mutual facilitation) based on performance in 3 different 2-minute conditions (gait single task, cognitive single task, dual-task). The gait task will be overground walking on a 12 meter obstacle-free course with a 1 meter turning area. Gait speed (m/s) will be calculated using the total distance covered over the 2 minutes. The cognitive task will be serial subtractions of seven, starting between 590-599. A corrected response rate will be calculated as: responses per second\*percent of correct responses. Dual-task performance will represent a participant's performance on improvement or decline on both gait and cognitive performance comparing single and dual-tasking. For example, mutual interference would be a decline in both gait (slower speed), and cognitive (lower corrected response ratio) from single to dual-tasking.
Self-reported Falls	baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention	Participants will be asked: "Have you fallen in the last three months?" If yes, participants will be asked how many falls occurred in the last three months. Falls are defined as: "a unintended loss of balance with a result of coming to rest on the ground, floor, or lower level.
Frenchay Activities Index	baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention	The Frenchay Activities Index is pragmatic for community-dwelling adults to self-rate participation in three domains: domestic chores, leisure/work, and outdoor activities. Frenchay Activity Index scores range from 0-45, with higher scores indicating greater participation in instrumental ADLs.
Acceptability, Appropriateness, Feasibility	immediately after intervention	The Acceptability of Intervention Measure, Intervention Appropriateness Measure, Feasibility of Intervention Measure will be used to assess feasibility and acceptability. The assessments are 12 questions in total scored 12-60 with greater scores indicating greater acceptability, appropriateness, or feasibility.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Colorado State University; 🇺🇸 Fort Collins, Colorado, United States