American Sign Language, Deaf, Fall, Old Age
Conditions
Keywords
Exercise, Fall risk, Deaf, Senior citizen, Older adults
Brief summary
Deaf older adults 60 years and older are enrolled into an 8-week exercise program delivered in American Sign Language. The class meets twice a week, with handout and video homework. Outcome measures are self-reported balance confidence, lower extremity strength, walking and agility, and standing balance. In addition, attendance and keeping up with exercises at home will be tracked.
Detailed description
The intervention will be 8 weeks of 2 meetings/wk exercise class, delivered entirely in ASL. Homework exercise will also be provided. 10-12 participants will be recruited for each of the 4 semesters of offerings. Physical balance as well as balance confidence will be measured prior to and immediately after the 8-week intervention. In addition, balance confidence will be measured 6-months after the conclusion of the intervention period.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALBalance in Motion Exercise class
8 weeks of 2 meetings/wk exercise class, with a once weekly homework exercise, delivered entirely in ASL
Sponsors
Gallaudet University
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Deaf * Uses American Sign Language (ASL) fluently * Community-dwelling * Able to walk independently for at least 20 ft * Willing to attend classes twice a week at Gallaudet University
Exclusion criteria
* Blindness * Dementia * Neurological conditions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sit-to-Stand | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention | The number of times a person can stand from a chair and sit down, without using hands. |
| Timed Up-and-Go | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention | The time it takes for a person to stand from a chair, walk 10 ft, turn around, walk back, and sit back down. |
| Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration on Balance | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention | The measure of how steadily a person can stand under 4 conditions (eyes open, on firm surface, eyes closed on firm surface, eyes open on foam, and eyes closed on foam) |
| Sit and Reach | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention | How far a person can reach beyond their toes. Measure of flexibility. |
| Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention, 6 months after intervention | A self-report measure of how confident a person is in not falling under various conditions. Reported in 0-100%; higher score means more confidence (better outcome). |
| Fall Risk Questionnaire | 1 - 21 days before the start of intervention; within 2 weeks of the end of intervention, 6 months after intervention | A self-report measure of the number of risk factors a person exhibits. Reported in a scale of 0-14 points; higher score indicates a greater risk (worse outcome). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance rate | During intervention | How many exercise class sessions, out of 16, a participant attended |
| Step Count | During intervention | The number of steps gathered through Fitbit |
| Effective exercise level | During intervention | The Active Zone Minutes gathered through Fitbit |
| Self-reported exercise level | 6 months after the intervention | The participant's report on how much time they are spending on exercises |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORChizuko Tamaki, AuD, PhD
Gallaudet University
Outcome results
None listed