Recruiting

Cognitive Groove

Sponsor:

McMaster University

Code:

NCT06870149

Conditions

Frailty

Frail Older Adults

Frailty in Aging

Frailty Syndrome

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Dance Rehabilitation Intervention

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of a community-based rehabilitation intervention (Cognitive Groove, Brought to you by GERAS DANCE), compared to usual care, on clinical outcomes in community-dwelling older adults living with frailty. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. In community-dwelling older adults living with frailty, is Cognitive Groove more effective than usual care in improving functional movement, physical performance and strength?
2. In community-dwelling older adults living with frailty is Cognitive Groove more effective than usual care in improving frailty status, fear of falling, balance confidence, mood, cognition, grip strength, activities of daily living, life space mobility, loneliness, and quality of life?
3. As a community-based rehabilitation intervention, is Cognitive Groove a cost-effective intervention embedded within the community for older adults living with frailty after 12-months?

Participants will participate in Cognitive Groove classes twice per week for 3 months or receive no intervention (usual care).

Conditions

Frailty

Frail Older Adults

Frailty in Aging

Frailty Syndrome

Study ID

NCT06870149

Start date

Jun 10, 2025

Status verified date

Jun, 2025

Completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Community-dwelling aged ≥65 years
  • At high risk for mobility disability/functional limitations as assessed by the FRAIL Scale ≥2
  • Able to ambulate independently (25 m) with or without an assistive device
  • Able to follow two-step instructions
  • Medical clearance from referring clinician, or for self-referrals, medical clearance from family physician to safely participate in exercise
  • Can arrange transportation to the YMCA up to 2 times per week

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable to speak or understand English
  • Current regular participation in a structured exercise program or receiving active physical therapy services
  • Severe cardiac or pulmonary disease
  • Unstable angina or heart failure
  • Severe osteoarthritis (e.g., awaiting joint replacement)
  • Parkinson's disease or other progressive neurological disorder
  • Receiving palliative care
  • Travel/commitments requiring missing more than two weeks

Study Design

Enrollment

250 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE)

Classes will occur twice per week for 3 months. Classes follow a consistent sequence of activities (orientation and socialization \[10-mins\]; warm-up \[5-mins\]; structured dance \[30-mins\]; cool-down \[5-mins\]; socialization and review of weekly hand-outs for balance exercises \[10-mins\]. The curriculum schedule includes five foundations and seven routines. Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) foundations emphasize learning the ABCs of movement and increasing participants' confidence to move their bodies forward and backward and side-to-side with improved speed and rhythmicity. Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) routines combine the foundational skills into full choreographed dances to music from the '50s and '60s (e.g., rock and roll, jazz, salsa, cha cha cha, rhythm soul, swing, disco, and Bollywood). Participants will receive an intervention-specific study manual that describes the homework exercises for each week.

no intervention: Usual Care

The control arm participants will continue with their usual care and normal activities. They will not receive any intervention during the study but will be given the opportunity to participate in Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) programming after the study.

Interventions

Dance Rehabilitation Intervention

Cognitive Groove (GERAS DANCE) presents a novel approach to increasing or maintaining independence and quality of life by improving physical performance and mobility using reminiscent music and rhythmic movement in a fun, safe environment. Cognitive Groove was designed to meet the complex needs of older adults with frailty. Our pilot quasi-experimental studies have demonstrated Cognitive Groove results in clinically significant improvements in walking speed by 0.1 m/s with enhanced temporal-spatial walking parameters and improved lower extremity function, including balance and chair stands.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in Physical Performance [ Time Frame: Baseline and 3-months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Patricia Hewston, PhD

905-521-2100hewstonp@hhsc.ca

Locations

Geras Centre for Aging Research, St. Peter's Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences

Recruiting

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8M 1W9

Contacts

Patricia Hewston, PhD

905-521-2100hewstonp@hhsc.ca

Principal Investigator:

Alexandra Papaioannou, MD

More Information

Sponsor

McMaster University

Last update posted

Jul 1, 2025

Last verified

Jun, 2025

Keywords

  • Frailty
  • Rehabilitation
  • Dance

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by McMaster University on 2025-07-01.