Use of a Smartphone to Assess Balance and Provide Intervention to Older Adults at Home
Condition: Fall
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Approximately one-third of older adults report one or more falls each year, with devastating
      physical, psychological, social, and financial consequences. Conventional gait analysis
      performed in a controlled laboratory environment can identify balance deficits, but
      unfortunately, such tools are bulky, time-consuming, and dependent on qualified technicians
      to properly collect and evaluate the data. Furthermore, these one-time gait and balance
      assessments cannot monitor changes in ambulatory strategies longitudinally and do not reflect
      performance in real-life environments, where falls commonly occur. While recent developments
      in smartphone-based evaluations have demonstrated great utility and accuracy in assessing
      gait performance, it is vital to evaluate participant compliance, ease-of-use, and
      feasibility of this technology using a smartphone in the home environment.

      It is also paramount that interventions which improve balance be accessible to older adults.
      While four-week balance training routines have been shown to improve balance performance
      among older adults, it is unknown whether such interventions can be conducted remotely in a
      safe and compliant manner. Furthermore, the retention of balance function following
      intervention is unclear. Subsequently, the goals of this study are to evaluate technology
      that can both remotely monitor balance and prescribe intervention to older adults. With the
      current burdens on the health care system and the burgeoning population of older adults, it
      is essential that tools be provided to older adults that are easy to follow, attractive, and
      improve balance performance.

      Therefore, the objective of this project is to investigate the utility of a valid, easily
      accessible, smartphone application to assess balance and provide personalized exercise for
      older adults as a stand-alone, field-based medical device. The aims of this proposal are to
      (1) utilize a smartphone application to longitudinally evaluate gait and standing balance
      over an 8-week period in the home environment among 30; and (2) determine the feasibility and
      efficacy of a smartphone application to promote exercise and evaluate gait changes for up to
      2 months in this older adult population following a 4-week balance intervention. The
      long-term goal of this project is to provide a holistic home-based gait monitoring and
      intervention tool for integration in routine clinical care.
    


Intervention name(s): Balance Exercises - Smartphone Delivery; Balance Exercises - Traditional Paper Delivery
Intervention type(s): Device; Other
Intervention description(s): 1st week: standing balance tasks; 2nd week: standing with arm manipulation tasks; 3rd week: gait balance tasks; 4th week: gait with arm manipulation tasks.; 1st week: standing balance tasks; 2nd week: standing with arm manipulation tasks; 3rd week: gait balance tasks; 4th week: gait with arm manipulation tasks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
Primary purpose: Device Feasibility
Keywords: Older Adults; Balance; Smartphone; Home-based Intervention