Investigating My Active and Healthy Aging
Condition: Frail Elderly Syndrome; Cognitive Impairment; Physical Dependence
MeSH terms: Cognitive Dysfunction
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is a multicenter, multicultural, randomized control trial. Participants will be
      recruited from 10 centers located in Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium,
      Sweden, Japan, South Korea and Australia. The main objective of the study is to examine the
      efficacy of a sensor-based platform (my-AHA platform) to assess frailty risks and to deliver
      tailored interventions in order to prevent in elderly subjects conversion from a pre-frail
      status to a frailty status.
    

Detailed description: 
      In the past decade, frailty has attracted great attention of the scientific community and
      public health organizations as precursor and contributor of age-related diseases. Frailty is
      a common clinical syndrome in older adults, affecting 7-12% of the older population, and the
      occurrence of frailty increases with age and may exceed 45% after age 85 years. Frailty
      develops when age-associated degenerative processes overwhelm reserve capacity and reparative
      processes that maintain function of the nervous system as well as other physiologic systems.
      Overall, frailty consists in the vulnerability of aged population to adverse events as the
      result of the subtle and progressive metabolic and physical changes. Frailty confers a
      significantly increased risk for poor health outcomes, incident disability, hospitalization,
      and mortality.

      In recent years there has been an emergence of information and communication technology (ICT)
      -based solutions to support active ageing and tackle frailty, cognitive decline and social
      isolation of older adults. While these ICT-based solutions are of a certain value regarding
      diminishing single risks (e.g. fall risk, etc.), there is still a need for a more holistic
      approach which aims to address all of the individual risk factors together. Also it is
      necessary to provide tailored interventions based on the outcomes of the risk analysis. This
      assessment of risk for frailty and provision of individual tailored interventions is the main
      objective of My-AHA project.

      My-AHA solution supports active and healthy ageing by enabling early detection and
      minimization of risks associated with ageing. In these terms the early risk detection
      considers three fundamental aspects of the life of older adults: physical activity (by
      considering vital signs data, gait, quality of sleep and in general, physical activity, and
      fall risk); cognitive activity (by monitor the cognitive level, e.ge.g. in cognitive games);
      and, psychosocial activities (e.g. by analyzing the emotions and the quality of speech of the
      users). On the other hand, My-AHA will develop and implement more efficient and effective
      ICT-based interventions tailored to the early identified risks. The suggested social
      activities, as well as cognitive and physical trainings and the diet proposed to the older
      adults via the new platform will help the users in changing their behaviour and in reacting
      to the consequences of ageing.
    

Intervention name(s): My-AHA platform
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): ICT strategy for early detection of frailties
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Care Provider)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Frailty; Physical impairment; Cognitive decline; ICT