Effects of Arts Engagement on Physical Performance, Cognition, Social Isolation, and Self-Perception in Older Adults

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this community-engaged project is to examine how taking part in different arts (dance & music), compared to control (no arts) affects older adults' Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL using the Short Form-20(SF) form), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery-SPPB), cognition (using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-MoCA), social engagement (National Social Life, Health, & Aging Project-NSHAP survey), and perceptions of self (focus interviews).

Detailed Description
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In this Randomized-Controlled-Trial, 60 adults (20/condition) will take part in 20, 45-minute sessions (ballroom dance, ukulele/guitar playing, or control- i.e. social conversation), 2 times/week for 10 weeks. While the investigators know that arts participation improves function in older adults, exact effects of different arts programs on health outcomes remains unclear. The investigators plan to fill this gap by studying how different arts participation affect health outcomes. The overall aim is to study how arts engagement helps older adults remain active and influences physical, psychological, and emotional functioning.

Official Title
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Effects of Arts Engagement Programs on Physical Performance, Cognition, Social Isolation, and Self Perception in Older Adults

Conditions
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Social Isolation, Mental Status Change, Cognitive Impairment, Physical Activity, Quality of Life, Self-Perception

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Active Social Conversation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Be healthy, > 65 years of age and able to take part in learning music, or ballroom dance. Exclusion Criteria: Presence of a co-morbid mental health diagnosis or other physical or behavioral challenges that the study staff assess as rendering the participant unable or unsafe to participate in the study.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years
Maximum Age: 100 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: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Ballroom Dance<br>The Dance group participants will take part in ballroom dance lessons twice/week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks | Other: Active Social Conversation<br>* Active Social Conversation<br>* Other names: Active Control;|
| Experimental: Ukulele<br>The Music group participants will take part in ukulele lessons twice/week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks | Other: Active Social Conversation<br>* Active Social Conversation<br>* Other names: Active Control;|
| Active Comparator: Control<br>The Control group participants will meet 2 times per week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks to participate in a social conversational group for 10 weeks | Other: Active Social Conversation<br>* Active Social Conversation<br>* Other names: Active Control;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Physical Performance using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) | The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is an assessment tool for evaluation of lower extremity functioning in older persons. In this tool, participants will perform the 3 SPPB components: 1) Ability to stand for 10 sec with feet in 3 different positions (together side-by-side, semi-tandem, and tandem), 2) Two timed trials of a 4-m walk (fastest recorded), and 3) Time to rise from a chair five times. The subtests are scored from 0-4. The overall SPPB is scored from 0 (Minimum) to 12 (Maximum score) with higher scores indicating better lower extremity function. | Pre (Week 0), Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Cognition using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) survey | The Montreal Cognition Assessment (MoCA) is a brief, 30-question test designed as a rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction. It assesses different cognitive domains: attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visuoconstructional skills, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation. MoCA scores range between 0-30. A score of 26 or over is considered normal. | Pre (Week 0), Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention | 
| Change in Self-Perception Post Intervention Focus Interview | In these interviews participants discuss how they self-perceive any physical, mental, and social changes they underwent as a result of taking part in the interventions | Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention | 
| Change in Social Connections using the Social Connections Survey | Participants complete questions from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) measure perceived social connection and isolation. These questions ask participants about 1) Support from partner (we are using 3 of the 6 questions); 2) Support from family (we are using 3 of the 5 questions); 3) Support from friends (we are using 3 of the 5 questions). All questions are on a 4-point frequency range from never to often, except for 2 questions. Question #1 construct one is on a 7-point scale from very unhappy to very happy and question #5 construct two is on a 6-point scale from none to more than 20. The 7 items with the same frequency anchors will be summed; the other two items will be analyzed as one-item indicators. | Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Dance, Music, Social Conversation