Yoga for Seniors

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The overall purpose of this study is to deliver a 12-week yoga program to older adults (over 60 years of age) in rural WI who do not have access to yoga programming and examine the effects of the programming on activities of daily living, gait, balance, falls, activity level and social isolation.

Detailed Description
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Participants will be assigned to immediately begin a 12-week yoga class (2 classes per week for 75 minutes each) or complete a 12-week wait (wait-list control). The measures of interest will be examined at pretest (wait-list only), baseline, posttest and at 3-month follow-up to see what, if any, changes are maintained after completion of the program. All assessment data collections sessions will be conducted on-site at a predetermined site identified by the community partners.

Official Title
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Yoga for Seniors

Conditions
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Aging Well

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Yoga Program Immediately
* Behavioral: Wait-Listed Control
* Other: Activity Monitor


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Ability to independently ambulate for at least 10 minutes continuously (with or without an assistive device) Ability to attend the yoga class for all or most of the 12 weeks A previous fall, near-fall or identified fear of falling Exclusion Criteria: No known contraindication for exercise (i.e. a medical doctor has told you not to exercise) A resent injury that causes pain during movement Current enrollment in another research study or class focused on balance

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants will be assigned to immediately begin a 12-week yoga class or complete a 12-week wait (wait-list control).
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Yoga Program<br>12-week yoga program begins immediately | Behavioral: Yoga Program Immediately<br>* free 12 week yoga program, twice a week for 75 minutes each<br>Other: Activity Monitor<br>* Garmin VivoSmart activity monitor throughout study<br>|
| Active Comparator: Wait-list Control<br>Wait-listed to take the Yoga Program in 12-weeks time | Behavioral: Wait-Listed Control<br>* assigned to take the Yoga Program in 12-weeks<br>Other: Activity Monitor<br>* Garmin VivoSmart activity monitor throughout study<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in MiniBESTest Score | The mini-BESTest will be used to assess balance. This 14-item, clinical battery is used to assess balance in four component areas (anticipatory transitions, postural response, sensory orientation and dynamic gait) and provides a single number summary of balance performance. Scores range from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating higher function. | [pre-test for waitlist group 3 months prior to class], baseline, post-test (3-months), 3-month follow up (6-months) | 
| Change in Fall Frequency | Change in the frequency of falls will be assessed using a forced-choice paradigm: none, once, 2 to 10 times, weekly, or daily over the last 6 months. | [pre-test for waitlist group 3 months prior to class], baseline, post-test (3-months), 3-month follow up (6-months) | 
| Change in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measures (COPM) | The COPM is composed of the following steps: 1) participant identifies occupational performance problems for self-care and productivity, 2) participant rates each issue on a score of 1-10 (higher scores are more important), 3) participant chooses 5 most important problems, 4) participant rates each issue (1-10) for performance and satisfaction, 5) average score for each (performance and satisfaction) are calculated. Final score for each is 1-10 with higher scores better. | [pre-test for waitlist group 3 months prior to class], baseline, post-test (3-months), 3-month follow up (6-months) | 
| Change in Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) | The ABC Scale measures a fear of falling. It is a 16-item survey where participants rate their level of self-confidence (0-100, where 100 is the highest self-confidence) for each item. The average score is reported. | [pre-test for waitlist group 3 months prior to class], baseline, post-test (3-months), 3-month follow up (6-months) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Standardized Gait Analysis: Gait Velocity | Using the GaitRite® System, the temporal and spatial parameters of each participant will be captured during walking. The GaitRite® mat is a 14 foot portable electronic walkway, embedded with sensors to enable the measurement spatiotemporal variables of gait such as cadence, normalized velocity, stride length, base of support, and percent of cycle in double support. Participants will begin at a starting point two meters from the mat, then walk toward and step onto the mat to continue walking until they achieve the stop line located two meters off of the opposite side of the mat. Data will be collected for forward preferred speed, backward preferred speed, forward fast, tandem and dual task gait. Each participant will complete five trials for each condition. | [pre-test for waitlist group 3 months prior to class], baseline, post-test (3-months), 3-month follow up (6-months) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Yoga, social isolation, underserved populations, elderly, movement, activity