Clinical trial NCT06400108: Dementia Moves: Protocol for a Feasibility Study
Official title: Dementia Moves: Protocol for a Pilot Feasibility Study Testing a Physical Rehabilitation Program for Long-Term Care Residents With Moderate to Severe Dementia
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Moderate to Severe Dementia
Lead sponsor: Dalhousie University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Alzheimer Society of Canada
First posted: 2024-05-06
Enrollment: 16
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Intervention model description: pre-post pilot feasibility study
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: Most long-term care (LTC) residents live with frailty and dementia and the proportion with more advanced cognitive impairment is increasing. Residents with dementia often have limited functional ability to complete their activities of daily living (ADLs) and are vulnerable to further functional decline. Multicomponent exercise can help prevent functional decline, but residents with dementia are less likely to receive it and have not often been included in previous intervention studies. The Dementia Moves intervention was designed to fill this gap. It is an individually tailored multicomponent group exercise program with an aerobic warm-up and a focus on moderate to high intensity functional balance and strength training. This pilot feasibility study will examine the feasibility of delivering Dementia Moves with 16 LTC residents across 2 homes in Nova Scotia (primary outcomes: recruitment, retention, adherence, acceptability, barriers/facilitators to delivery, fidelity; secondary outcomes: ADLs, adverse events). The next step will be to conduct a larger trial to determine the effect of the intervention on ADLs.

Through a parallel cluster randomized controlled trial, investigators will measure the effect of the Dementia Moves program on ADLs and adverse events (i.e., falls, fractures, hospitalizations, emergency department visits) for LTC residents with moderate to severe dementia (i.e., Mini-Mental State Exam of 20 or less).

Detailed description: Background: Most long-term care (LTC) residents live with dementia and the proportion with more advanced cognitive impairment is increasing. Residents with dementia often have limited functional ability to complete their activities of daily living (ADLs) and are vulnerable to further functional decline. Multicomponent exercise can help prevent functional decline, but residents with dementia are less likely to receive it and have not often been included in previous intervention studies. The Dementia Moves intervention was designed to fill this gap. It is an individually tailored multicomponent group exercise program with an aerobic warm-up and a focus on moderate to high intensity functional balance and strength training. Investigators will measure the feasibility and effect of the Dementia Moves program on ADLs for LTC residents with moderate to severe dementia (Mini-Mental State Exam of 20 or less). Investigators hypothesize the intervention will be feasible without modification if 16 individuals are recruited over 6 months, 65% of our sample is retained at 6-months, and 75% of the completed exercises are performed at a moderate to high intensity.

Methods: A pre-post pilot study will be used to assess feasibility, safety (rates of falls and adverse events), and change in ADLs at three- and six-months among LTC residents with moderate to severe dementia. A physiotherapist, physiotherapy assistant, and three volunteers will deliver the group-based exercise program to groups of four residents, three times per week, for six months. Assessments will be completed at three- and six-months. Feasibility outcomes include 1) recruitment over six-months; 2) retention at three- and six-month follow-up; and adherence via 3) attendance and 4) proxy and self-reported ratings of exercise intensity. Investigators will also assess fidelity of the intervention through program audits, and audio diaries and interviews to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of the intervention.

Discussion: The feasibility of the Dementia Moves intervention will be evaluated in LTC residents with dementia, and investigators will examine rates of falls and adverse events and change in ADLs. Investigators will use the collected information to inform a definitive parallel cluster randomized controlled trial. The feasibility of the Dementia Moves intervention will be evaluated in LTC residents with dementia, and investigators will examine rates of falls and adverse events and change in ADLs. Investigators will use the collected information to inform a definitive parallel cluster randomized controlled trial.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. A clinical diagnosis of any form of dementia as documented in their electronic medical record
2. a Mini-Mental State Exam Score (MMSE) of 20 or less, or Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS) Score of 3 or higher, indicating moderate to severe cognitive impairment.

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants who are receiving end of life care in the LTC

Primary outcomes:
measure: Number of residents recruited from participating homes
timeFrame: The recruitment will occur over a six-month period,
measure: Participation rates
timeFrame: 3 to 6 months follow-ups.
measure: Attendance rates
timeFrame: 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
measure: Intensity of exercises - resistance and aerobic exercise
timeFrame: 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
measure: Intensity of exercises - balance
timeFrame: 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Emergency department visits
timeFrame: three-months prior to baseline, baseline to three-months, and three- to six-month periods.
measure: Activities of daily living (Barthel Index)
timeFrame: baseline at enrollment
measure: Activities of daily living (interRAI Long-Term Care Facilities Long Form Score)
timeFrame: At enrollment, three- and six-month follow ups
measure: Fall frequency
timeFrame: three-months prior to baseline, baseline to three-months, and three- to six-month periods
measure: Number of hospitalization
timeFrame: three-months prior to baseline, baseline to three-months, and three- to six-month periods.
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Dalhousie University
name: Caitlin McArthur, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Lane NE, Wodchis WP, Boyd CM, Stukel TA. Disability in long-term care residents explained by prevalent geriatric syndromes, not long-term care home characteristics: a cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatr. 2017 Feb 10;17(1):49. doi: 10.1186/s12877-017-0444-1.
citation: Helvik AS, Engedal K, Benth JS, Selbaek G. A 52 month follow-up of functional decline in nursing home residents - degree of dementia contributes. BMC Geriatr. 2014 Apr 10;14:45. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-14-45.
citation: van Doorn C, Gruber-Baldini AL, Zimmerman S, Hebel JR, Port CL, Baumgarten M, Quinn CC, Taler G, May C, Magaziner J; Epidemiology of Dementia in Nursing Homes Research Group. Dementia as a risk factor for falls and fall injuries among nursing home residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003 Sep;51(9):1213-8. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51404.x.
citation: Katz S, Downs TD, Cash HR, Grotz RC. Progress in development of the index of ADL. Gerontologist. 1970 Spring;10(1):20-30. doi: 10.1093/geront/10.1_part_1.20. No abstract available.
citation: Ripley S, Alizadehsaravi N, Affoo R, Hunter S, Middleton LE, Moody E, Weeks LE, McArthur C. Resident-, family-, and staff-identified goals for rehabilitation of long-term care residents with dementia: a qualitative study. BMC Geriatr. 2024 Jan 29;24(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s12877-024-04674-2.
citation: Telenius EW, Engedal K, Bergland A. Long-term effects of a 12 weeks high-intensity functional exercise program on physical function and mental health in nursing home residents with dementia: a single blinded randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatr. 2015 Dec 3;15:158. doi: 10.1186/s12877-015-0151-8.
citation: Slaughter SE, Estabrooks CA, Jones CA, Wagg AS. Mobility of Vulnerable Elders (MOVE): study protocol to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of a mobility intervention in long-term care facilities. BMC Geriatr. 2011 Dec 16;11:84. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-11-84.
citation: Barisch-Fritz B, Trautwein S, Scharpf A, Krell-Roesch J, Woll A. Effects of a 16-Week Multimodal Exercise Program on Physical Performance in Individuals With Dementia: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2022 Jan-Mar 01;45(1):3-24. doi: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000308.
citation: McArthur C, Alizadehsaravi N, Affoo R, Cooke K, Douglas N, Earl M, Flynn T, Ghanouni P, Hunter S, Middleton L, Moody E, Searle S, Smith C, Weeks L. Effectiveness of physical rehabilitation in improving physical functioning and quality of life for long-term-care residents with dementia: a systematic review protocol. JBI Evid Synth. 2023 Jan 1;21(1):207-213. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-22-00096.
citation: Bouwstra H, Smit EB, Wattel EM, van der Wouden JC, Hertogh CMPM, Terluin B, Terwee CB. Measurement Properties of the Barthel Index in Geriatric Rehabilitation. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2019 Apr;20(4):420-425.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2018.09.033. Epub 2018 Nov 16.
citation: Morris JN, Fries BE, Morris SA. Scaling ADLs within the MDS. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1999 Nov;54(11):M546-53. doi: 10.1093/gerona/54.11.m546.
citation: Glenny C, Stolee P. Comparing the functional independence measure and the interRAI/MDS for use in the functional assessment of older adults: a review of the literature. BMC Geriatr. 2009 Nov 29;9:52. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-9-52.
citation: Hutchinson AM, Milke DL, Maisey S, Johnson C, Squires JE, Teare G, Estabrooks CA. The Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set 2.0 quality indicators: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2010 Jun 16;10:166. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-10-166.