Real-life Dual-Task Training

NCT06479694 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 5562
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

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.

Conditions

Fall

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Dual-Task Impact on Daily-living Activities Questionnaire

  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.

  baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Acceptability, Appropriateness, Feasibility

  immediately after intervention

• Dual-Task Performance

  baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention

• Frenchay Activities Index

  baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention

• Self-reported Falls

  baseline, pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention

Study Arms (1)

Real-life Dual-Task Training

EXPERIMENTAL

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.

Behavioral: Real-life Dual-Task Training

Interventions

Real-life Dual-Task Training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention is Real-life Dual-Task Training (Real-DTT) which uses instrumental activities of daily living training with explicit focus on the cognitive and motor elements and when to focus attention to one vs. the other to reduce fall risk. The Real-DTT sessions will be delivered once a week for 10 weeks during their occupational therapy sessions, delivered by a licensed occupational therapist. Real-DTT is a modified version of occupational therapy, with a protocol tailored to the participants.

Real-life Dual-Task Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• 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.

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Colorado State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Colorado State University

Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524, United States

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Laura A Swink, PhD

CONTACT

9704917915; laura.swink@colostate.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 24, 2024
• First Posted: June 28, 2024
• Study Start: July 3, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)