None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
We are implementing the WSC for residential aged care adults with dementia in the Brisbane and Toowoomba area. This project aims to rekindle positive memories of swimming in people with dementia and get them involved in a safe, regular physical activity. Swimming is an activity that has the capacity to address physical health needs, because it involves exercise; psychological health needs, because it is fun and relaxing; and social health needs, because it involves interactions with other people. Further, we aim to investigate whether participation in an evidence-based aquatic exercise program leads to changes in adults’ quality of life for adults with dementia living in residential aged care facilities, in terms of behavioural and psychological symptoms, depression and physical health. In our pilot study, conducted in Toowoomba in 2011, we showed that the WSC has the potential to positively influence sleep, appetite, pain, falls resistance, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, depression, physical strength and flexibility and social functioning. The results of the pilot study showed that the WSC intervention improved left hand grip and psychological well-being, decreased the number of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia expressed and decreased the extent to which these behaviours distressed staff. In our current research project, we are predicting that there will be greater improvements to the quality of life of adults participating in the WSC, compared to adults receiving usual care. (For information about the pilot study, please see the following publications: (1) Neville, C., et al. (2013). "Watermemories: a swimming club for adults with dementia." Journal of gerontological nursing 39(2): 21-25; (2) Henwood, T., et al. (2012). "The Watermemories Swim Club for people with dementia." Australasian Journal on Ageing. 31(S2): 13, 23-24, 41; (3) Neville, C., et al. (2012). "The Watermemories Swim Club for People with Dementia." Journal of Ageing and Physical Activity. 20(August): S8 - 10.) Finally, we aim to create a sustainable, cost-effective, evidence-based exercise program that can be easily accessed and implemented by RACFs, independent of a research environment. To achieve this objective, we intend to disseminate manuals describing the WSC program and outlining in detail how it can be implemented, so that it may be incorporated into RACFs in other areas of Australia
Interventions
Adults with dementia from residential aged care facilities (RACF) will be invited to participate in the Watermemories Swimming Club (WSC) intervention. After a facility has agreed to participate, a matching facility (with the same aged care service provider) will be purposefully selected to receive usual care. Unlike the facilities invited to participate in the WSC intervention, it will not be necessary for the matching facility to be located in close proximity to the aquatic centre.
The WSC in
Adults with dementia from residential aged care facilities (RACF) will be invited to participate in the Watermemories Swimming Club (WSC) intervention. After a facility has agreed to participate, a matching facility (with the same aged care service provider) will be purposefully selected to receive usual care. Unlike the facilities invited to participate in the WSC intervention, it will not be necessary for the matching facility to be located in close proximity to the aquatic centre. The WSC intervention is an evidence-based aquatic exercise program specific to people with dementia, designed by Associate Professor Christine Neville and Professor Elizabeth Beattie, both experts in dementia, and Dr Tim Henwood, an expert in special population exercise prescription. Adults in facilities participating in the WSC intervention will partake in the WSC program, after receiving consent from a substitute decision-maker and medical clearance from a GP. The program involves twice-weekly, 45 minute sessions over a 12 week period. The sessions will be delivered at two locations: the Griffith University Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Mt Gravatt, and the Milne Bay Aquatic and Fitness Centre, Toowoomba, by a trained swimming instructor (working on the side of the pool) who has experience instructing older people with disabilities. Adults will be accompanied in the pool by trained volunteers. In addition, the pool will have at least one life guard on duty and an exercise physiologist will regularly attend sessions to assist with supervision. A maximum of 10 adults with dementia will attend each session. At the beginning and conclusion of the 12 week period, all participants will receive physical and psychological assessments. Throughout the intervention period, a weekly attendance list will be generated by each facility so that participant attendence and adherence to the program can be monitored. The WSC intervention has been risk assessed and safely trialled in an earlier pilot study in Toowoomba, in 2011. (For information about the pilot study, please see the following publications: (1) Neville, C., et al. (2013). "Watermemories: a swimming club for adults with dementia." Journal of gerontological nursing 39(2): 21-25; (2) Henwood, T., et al. (2012). "The Watermemories Swim Club for people with dementia." Australasian Journal on Ageing. 31(S2): 13, 23-24, 41; (3) Neville, C., et al. (2012). "The Watermemories Swim Club for People with Dementia." Journal of Ageing and Physical Activity. 20(August): S8 - 10.)
Sponsors
Dr Tim Henwood
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Past history of swimming 2. Residing in a residential aged care facility (low or high care) 3. Diagnosis of dementia 4. Able to walk a minimum of 10 metres self-ambulating or with a walking cane or wheelie walker
Exclusion criteria
1. Unstable or terminal illness 2. Wheel-chair or bed bound 3. Medications contradictory to exercise 4. Unable to obtain medical clearance from GP to participate 5. Unable to obtain substitute decision-maker consent
Outcome results
None listed