Effects of Tai-chi Programme on Mobility of People With Dementia
- Conditions
- Accidental Falls
- Interventions
- Other: Tai-chi group
- Registration Number
- NCT03341091
- Lead Sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Brief Summary
This study evaluates the feasibility and the preliminary effects of a simplified 10-step Tai-chi programme (a dyadic approach) on the mobility performance of people with mild to moderate dementia.
Four community health centres were recruited and each was randomised to either the intervention group (Tai-chi) or the control group. Tai-chi group received a 16-week 10-step simplified Tai-chi training programme in which additional measures were implemented to enhance participants' engagement. The control group took part in group recreational activities organized by the community centres.
It was hypothesized that the Tai-chi group would outperform the control group regarding their mobility performance.
- Detailed Description
Four community health centres that provide dementia care services were recruited through convenience sampling. Each was viewed as one cluster and was randomized to either the Tai-chi or the control group, based on computer-generated random numbers prepared by an independent statistician.
Participants allocated to the Tai-chi group took part in the 16-week 10-step simplified Tai-chi programme, which was derived from the traditional Yang style and has been proven to be effective in enhancing older people's balance and mobility. Each week, the dyads attended two 1-hour sessions of centre-based Tai-chi training and practised at least three 30-minute Tai-chi sessions at home. Additional measures targeted cognitively impaired people were implemented to promote engagement, including the adoption of multiple sensory cues, slow and relaxed practice, a dyadic approach, and positive emotional motivation techniques.
Participants allocated to the control group took part in group recreational activities such as watching movies or listening to music, which was organized by the community centres with similar frequency and duration of the Tai-chi sessions that were organized for the Tai-chi group. The control group participants were instructed to continue their usual lifestyles and levels of physical activity.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 26
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Tai-chi group Tai-chi group 16-week 10-step simplified Tai-chi programme. Two 1-hour sessions of centre-based Tai-chi training and a minimum of three 30-minute Tai-chi sessions at home on a weekly basis.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Recruitment rate Enrollment date The number of dyads who provided consent to join the study over the eligible dyads
Occurrence of adverse events such as falls Throughout the 16-week programme and during the training sessions Any adverse events at home were recorded.
Participants' adherence to practising Tai-chi at home and in the training sessions Throughout the 16-week programme Exercise adherence (Tai-chi group only) was assessed by both the exercise diaries and training session attendance. Caregivers were instructed to record participants' adherence in terms of the frequency and duration of their Tai-chi home practice in a weekly exercise diary.
Attrition rate At the end of the 16-week programme The attrition rate was indicated by the percentage of dyads withdrawing from the study
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Number of steps recorded in the Step Test Baseline, 8th week and 16th week from baseline The Step Test assesses the dynamic single leg standing balance of the participants. Participants stood with their feet parallel and apart. They were instructed to place one whole foot onto the 5 centimetre-high block in front of them and then return it fully back down to the floor repeatedly as fast as possible, for 15 seconds. Each leg was tested separately, and performance on the side with the least number of steps was the recorded result.
Time measured in the Timed-up-and-Go test Baseline, 8th week and 16th week from baseline The Timed-up-and-Go test assess mobility of the participants. The time taken by participants to execute the tasks - stand up from a standard chair, walk three meters, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down - was recorded in seconds.
Length measured by the Functional Reach test Baseline, 8th week and 16th week from baseline Functional Reach test assessed the dynamic bilateral stance balance of the participants. Participants stood beside a wall with their dominant arm raised to 90 degrees. They were then instructed to lean forward as far as possible, with the hand remaining at shoulder level. The Functional Reach score was the additional reach of the raised hand from the starting position in centimeters
Menorah Park Engagement Scale every week of the 16-week Tai-chi programme The engagement of participants with dementia when attending the Tai-chi training sessions was assessed by four items extracted from the Menorah Park Engagement Scale. The four items are constructive engagement, passive engagement, self/other engagement, and non-engagement. Each item was rated on a three-point Likert scale (i.e., 0 = "not observed", 1 = "up to half the observation", and 2 = "more than half of the observation"). In addition, Engagement was also rated by the Tai-chi master on a 4-item scale (i.e. engagement during class, following proper steps, satisfaction with participants' learning progress, and satisfaction with participants' performance) based on the Tai-chi instructor's in-class observation. Each item was quantified on a 10-point Likert scale, with higher scores representing a greater degree of engagement.
Time measured in the Timed Chair Stand test Baseline, 8th week and 16th week from baseline Timed Chair Stand test assesses functional lower limb muscle strength of the participant. Each participant was instructed to stand up fully and sit down five times as quickly as possible. The time needed to complete this task was recorded.
Focus interview groups 17th week from baseline Feedback from participants and their caregivers was collected by focus group within two weeks of completing the Tai-chi programme
Trial Locations
- Locations (2)
Caritas Hong Kong - Services for the Elderly
ðŸ‡ðŸ‡°Hong Kong, Hong Kong
H.K.S.K.H. Lok Man Alice Kwok Integrated Service Centre
ðŸ‡ðŸ‡°Hong Kong, Hong Kong