Preventing falls in older people in residential care settings: improving balance through Tai Chi and Yoga - a randomised controlled study.

In residents of aged care facilities, can Tai Chi and/ or Yoga compared with usual care improve balance and prevent falls?

Status

Completed

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12612000103864

Enrollment

Registered

2012-01-20

Start date

2011-08-15

Completion date

2011-08-26

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

The main aims of the study are to: 1. Determine the feasibility of conducting a 14- week Tai Chi or Yoga program in a residential care setting. 2. Observe and record the modified Tai Chi and Yoga approaches used for older people with different levels of balance ability 3. Determine the feasibility of detecting changes in balance, pain experience, quality of life and incidence of falls in older residents who follow the Yoga/ Tai Chi programs compared to those who receive usual care.

Interventions

Exercise intervention. Professional Yoga and Tai Chi trainers delivered modified Yoga and Tai Chi to participating residents of an aged care facility in half hour sessions, twice a week for fourteen weeks. There were two parallel intervention groups: a Yoga group and a Tai Chi group. The yoga program included limbering movements, asanas, breathing practices and a type of relaxation meditation called 'yoga nidra'. The tai chi program comprised slow, controlled and circular movements that used

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Prevention

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

60 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Resident of aged care facility, ability to stand with hand support, ability to understand English, ability to understand and follow simple instructions and demonstrations

Exclusion criteria

Severe debilitating illness, severe cognitive impairment, inability to see, inability to hear, medically unfit for exercise, inability to understand and or to speak English.

Outcome results