Real-life Dual-Task Training for Older Adults at Risk to Fall

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.