The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study
This study examined the potential for effect of a six-week gait aid training program for people with dementia on spatiotemporal gait outcomes, perception of use, and falls with gait aid use. The program utilised four 30-min physiotherapy home visits, scheduled at weeks 1/2/3/6, and was enhanced by c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/4/1574 |
| _version_ | 1797620203969839104 |
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| author | Den-Ching A. Lee Elissa Burton Claudia Meyer Terry P. Haines Susan Hunter Helen Dawes Plaiwan Suttanon Stephanie Fullarton Fiona Connelly Julie C. Stout Keith D. Hill |
| author_facet | Den-Ching A. Lee Elissa Burton Claudia Meyer Terry P. Haines Susan Hunter Helen Dawes Plaiwan Suttanon Stephanie Fullarton Fiona Connelly Julie C. Stout Keith D. Hill |
| author_sort | Den-Ching A. Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the potential for effect of a six-week gait aid training program for people with dementia on spatiotemporal gait outcomes, perception of use, and falls with gait aid use. The program utilised four 30-min physiotherapy home visits, scheduled at weeks 1/2/3/6, and was enhanced by carer-supervised practice. Falls and the physiotherapist’s clinical judgement of participants achieving safe gait aid use during and after the program were described. Perception ratings at each visit were measured using Likert scales which, along with the spatiotemporal outcomes using the gait aid (Time-Up-and-Go-Test, 4-m-walk-test, Figure-of-8-Walk-Test with/without a cognitive task) at weeks 1 and 6, and at weeks 6 and 12 (6-week post-program), were examined with ordinal logistic regression analyses. Twenty-four community-dwelling older people with dementia and their carers participated. Twenty-one (87.5%) older people achieved safe gait aid use. Twenty falls occurred, and only one faller was using their gait aid when they fell. Walking speed, step length, and cadence significantly improved when walking with the gait aid at week 6 compared with week 1. No significant improvements in spatiotemporal outcomes were retained at week 12. Physiotherapists were more likely to agree that gait aid use had improved walking safety among older people with dementia with subsequent training visits. Larger studies of the gait aid training program are needed for this clinical group. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:37:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-81e3dff1806147689202d888c2617aa5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:37:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-81e3dff1806147689202d888c2617aa52023-11-16T21:21:31ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-02-01124157410.3390/jcm12041574The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot StudyDen-Ching A. Lee0Elissa Burton1Claudia Meyer2Terry P. Haines3Susan Hunter4Helen Dawes5Plaiwan Suttanon6Stephanie Fullarton7Fiona Connelly8Julie C. Stout9Keith D. Hill10Rehabilitation Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University (Peninsula Campus), Frankston, VIC 3199, AustraliaCurtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, AustraliaRehabilitation Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University (Peninsula Campus), Frankston, VIC 3199, AustraliaNational Centre for Healthy Ageing, Monash University and Peninsula Health, Frankston, VIC 3199, AustraliaSchool of Physical Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6G 1H1, CanadaNIHR Exeter BRC, Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UKThammasat University Research Unit in Health, Physical Performance, Movement, and Quality of Life for Longevity Society, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12120, ThailandCurtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, AustraliaDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Armadale Kalamuda Group, Armadale Health Service, Perth, WA 6112, AustraliaTurner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, AustraliaRehabilitation Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre, Monash University (Peninsula Campus), Frankston, VIC 3199, AustraliaThis study examined the potential for effect of a six-week gait aid training program for people with dementia on spatiotemporal gait outcomes, perception of use, and falls with gait aid use. The program utilised four 30-min physiotherapy home visits, scheduled at weeks 1/2/3/6, and was enhanced by carer-supervised practice. Falls and the physiotherapist’s clinical judgement of participants achieving safe gait aid use during and after the program were described. Perception ratings at each visit were measured using Likert scales which, along with the spatiotemporal outcomes using the gait aid (Time-Up-and-Go-Test, 4-m-walk-test, Figure-of-8-Walk-Test with/without a cognitive task) at weeks 1 and 6, and at weeks 6 and 12 (6-week post-program), were examined with ordinal logistic regression analyses. Twenty-four community-dwelling older people with dementia and their carers participated. Twenty-one (87.5%) older people achieved safe gait aid use. Twenty falls occurred, and only one faller was using their gait aid when they fell. Walking speed, step length, and cadence significantly improved when walking with the gait aid at week 6 compared with week 1. No significant improvements in spatiotemporal outcomes were retained at week 12. Physiotherapists were more likely to agree that gait aid use had improved walking safety among older people with dementia with subsequent training visits. Larger studies of the gait aid training program are needed for this clinical group.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/4/1574gait aiddementiatrainingspatiotemporalgaitfalls |
| spellingShingle | Den-Ching A. Lee Elissa Burton Claudia Meyer Terry P. Haines Susan Hunter Helen Dawes Plaiwan Suttanon Stephanie Fullarton Fiona Connelly Julie C. Stout Keith D. Hill The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study Journal of Clinical Medicine gait aid dementia training spatiotemporal gait falls |
| title | The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study |
| title_full | The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study |
| title_short | The Potential for Effect of a Six-Week Training Program for Gait Aid Use in Older People with Dementia with Unsteadiness of Gait: A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | potential for effect of a six week training program for gait aid use in older people with dementia with unsteadiness of gait a pilot study |
| topic | gait aid dementia training spatiotemporal gait falls |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/4/1574 |
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