Fall Prevention in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Summary

Falls represent the leading cause of hospitalization, nursing home admissions, disability and mortality for older adults with annual healthcare costs over $50 billion. Older Veterans with cognitive impairment are at an increased risk of falls and injurious fall. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of 6 weeks of a virtual tele-neurorehabilitation intervention on fall prevention, functional mobility, strength, cognition and performance of activities of daily living. Participants will be one of 28 participants in the VA Maryland Health Care System. Participation in the study is voluntary and the research will be conducted at the VA Maryland Health Care System. The entire study will take approximately 2 years to complete. Subject's participation in the study will last 3 months.

Interventions

• Virtual Neurophysiological Rehabilitation · BEHAVIORAL

  Combining active observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI)

Published eligibility criteria

Verbatim from the registry. Only the site can decide how these apply to a specific patient.

Inclusion Criteria:

* community dwelling
* at risk for falls as indicated by answering yes to one of the following: 1) have you fallen in the last year? 2) four square step test time \> 15 seconds 3) are you worried about falling?
* cognitive impairment as indicated by either 1) clinical diagnosis 2) MOCA score of 10-25
* able to provide written consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* MOCA \<10 or clinically diagnosed dementia
* inability to participate in a virtual intervention
* serious visual or hearing problems
* stroke with hemiparesis or severe neurological disease
* current use of medications affecting mental state
* current active participation in programs related to balance or mobility

Sites (1)

• Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, Baltimore, Maryland