Preliminary Clinical Trial- FallScape-D

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

FallScape for Persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related Dementia (FS-D): FS-D is a multimedia behavioral intervention for use by family Caregivers (CG) of Persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia (PwADRD) who are living at home and classified as at moderate to high risk for falls. FS-D will create, customize and support CG-provided daily multimedia sessions for PwADRD using structured learning techniques.

Study summary

Falls are a common and expensive problem, especially in persons with cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (PwADRD). The annual cost of falls is approximately 70 billion dollars, and falls add to the burden of a family caregiver. Injurious falls are a frequent reason people are unable to remain at home, resulting in significantly increased care costs to the family and society.

Most falls prevention efforts fail to address the understanding of fall risks, or the need to change the behavior of the PwADRD, the caregiver, or both. In response to a National Institute on Aging request for 'Care technology to sustain in-home living, preserve function and promote effective communication', an innovative falls prevention intervention for use by caregivers of PwADRD who are still living at home and classified as at moderate to high risk for falls will be developed and tested. This new technology is called FallScape for Dementia (FS-D). The innovative caregiver-provided daily treatment uses an engaging multimedia approach and behavioral intervention methods to facilitate communication and encourage change in falls prevention behaviors to reduce PwADRD falls.

This new FS-D intervention offers the rare opportunity to empower both the caregiver and the Person with memory loss by breaking the frustrating cycle of failure to recognize what could make an individual fall, or change behavior and may mitigate the burden that results from falls. FS-D is an urgently needed falls prevention intervention for family caregiver use. The economic and quality of life benefits of sustaining in-home living by preventing falls will benefit not only the caregiver and family, but will accrue to all stakeholders for this large, high-risk population.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Fall Threat Awareness — One month from Pre-test to Post-test
  Ten standardized video clips (less than 30 sec. each) are randomized and the first five are shown for the Pre-test; the second five video clips are shown for the Post-test. For each video clip, the PwADRD is asked "What do you notice that could cause a fall?" and each response is documented.
• Rate of Falls — Monthly for up to six months
  The CG will record falls and injury falls daily and submit a weekly electronic postcard. The falls rate will be calculated monthly.
• Falls Prevention Behaviors — Daily for up to six months
  The CG will record falls prevention behaviors daily and submit a weekly electronic postcard. The number of fall prevention behaviors is the total number recorded.

Trial sites (1)

Other trials for the same condition