A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Effectiveness of Tai Chi Alongside Usual Care With Usual Care Alone on the Postural Balance of Community-dwelling People With Dementia

Amongst people aged over 65, people with dementia (PWD) are much more likely to fall, and be injured, than those without dementia. Being injured from falling over is the main reason why older people attend the hospital A&E department. PWD often experience longer hospital stays following a fall, and may become confused which can be stressful for the carer; and a considerable cost to the NHS.

There is evidence that exercise programmes help to prevent falling. Can a Tai Chi exercise programme prevent falls among PWD living at home? We will investigate whether practising Tai Chi over several months improves dynamic postural balance (because it is a good indicator of how likely someone is to fall). People with mild to moderate dementia who live at home are eligible to take part with their regular care-giver as a 'pair'. We will recruit 150 pairs, i.e. 150 people with dementia and their informal caregiver (300 people in total). The PWD must be aged 18 years or older and both must be willing and able to do standing Tai Chi.

At baseline, the researcher will visit the pair at home to assess the participants' balance, memory skills, and general well-being. Pairs will be randomly assigned to either Tai Chi and usual care (intervention) or usual care only (control).

Pairs in the intervention group will practice Tai Chi together in a weekly group class held locally, and at home, and will complete a diary of how much time was spent doing Tai Chi over six months.

All participants will complete diaries showing how often they fell and whether falls caused an injury.