Virtual GERAS DANCE Feasibility RCT

NCT ID: NCT05202522

Last Updated: 2025-08-27

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 46 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2022-06-30

Brief Summary

GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE) is a therapeutic mind-body program for older adults (aged 60+) developed with rehabilitation and geriatric medicine expertise at the GERAS Centre for Aging Research at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. This study will examine if a virtual dance program is feasible for older adults and if dancing at home can benefit mind-body health, self-confidence, and mood.

Detailed Description

GERAS DANCE fulfills an urgent need in our community to provide tailored evidence-based programming to help improve the health of older adults and was adapted for virtual implementation. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to measure (1) the feasibility of virtual GERAS DANCE in older adults to inform a large full-scale study, and (2) the potential effects of virtual GERAS DANCE on mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood in older adults. This study will utilize a single-center, prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled feasibility approach. This RCT will involve 48 older adults using a person-centered and coordinated model of care embedded into existing community health partnerships. Participants will be randomized to receive 6-weeks of virtual GERAS DANCE or usual care. All participants randomized to usual care will receive the dance intervention after study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the virtual GERAS DANCE program. The progressive GERAS DANCE curricula will be delivered virtually for 1-hr class twice weekly by a certified GERAS DANCE instructor. GERAS DANCE curricula include gradual increases in cognitive load and are based on motor learning principles of the ABCs of movement Agility, Balance, and Coordination. The ABCs of movement is essential to quickly and efficiently change the body position with balance and coordination. Assessments of mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood will occur at baseline and 6-weeks.

Conditions

Aging

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Control Group

During the study. participants in the control group will not receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention. However, they will receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention following study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the program.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Virtual GERAS DANCE Group

Virtual GERAS DANCE will be delivered for 1-hr twice weekly for 6 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Virtual GERAS DANCE

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Dance is a form of aerobic exercise that involves multicomponent training with physical, cognitive, and social dimensions and may have synergetic benefits when delivered in combination. GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE), a community-based rehabilitation program for older adults with cognitive decline and/or mobility impairments, has been adapted for virtual delivery through videoconferencing systems. Participants will receive twice-weekly (one hour per session) virtual dance sessions for a total of 6 weeks.

Interventions

Virtual GERAS DANCE

Dance is a form of aerobic exercise that involves multicomponent training with physical, cognitive, and social dimensions and may have synergetic benefits when delivered in combination. GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE), a community-based rehabilitation program for older adults with cognitive decline and/or mobility impairments, has been adapted for virtual delivery through videoconferencing systems. Participants will receive twice-weekly (one hour per session) virtual dance sessions for a total of 6 weeks.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years of age;
• Has access, or has a caregiver who has access to a device at home that can support a videoconferencing service
• Able to ambulate independently with or without a walking aid; OR with caregiver supervision at home;
• Family physician's signature on a medical clearance form to ensure they are cleared to exercise safely.

Exclusion Criteria

• Unable to speak or understand English and has no caregiver for translation;
• Significant cognitive impairment where they may have difficulty following two-step commands;
• Unstable angina or unstable heart failure;
• Travel plans that would result in missing greater than 20% of the trial's 6-week duration;
• Currently attending a group exercise program.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Alexandra Papaioannou, MD, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Scientific Director, GERAS Centre for Aging Research

Locations

McMaster University - St. Peter's Hospital

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

14400

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id