Online Chair Yoga and Digital Learning for Rural Underserved Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a home-based online chair yoga (OCY) program for racially and ethnically diverse rural community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

We randomly assigned participants to OCY or a computer brain game (CBG). After a computer literacy training led by high school students, participants engaged in remotely supervised OCY or CBG in twice-weekly 45-minute sessions for 12 weeks. Outcome data (pain interference, cognitive function, mobility, computer skills) were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 32 eligible residents with mean age of 71 years participated in this intervention study. The interventions were feasible (100% recruitment rate, 96.8% retention rate, 100% safety rate). There were significant improvements in pain interference, cognitive function, mobility, and computer skills from baseline to follow-up among participants in both OCY and CBG but no significant differences in outcomes between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Preliminary results indicated that the CBG was as effective as online OCY in clinical outcomes in these participants. However, this should be confirmed in future studies.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This telehealth-based intervention is feasible for older adults in rural and digitally underserved communities and could provide a strategy for delivering health-promoting interventions for home-bound older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and connect caregivers to online resources.

'Now I can bend and meet people virtually in my home': The experience of a remotely supervised online chair yoga intervention and visual socialisation among older adults with dementia

BACKGROUND

Little research has been conducted on telehealth-based interventions in older adults. There has been no study of the use of telehealth-based online chair yoga (CY) to improve physical activity and manage dementia symptoms and socialisation for older adults with dementia who are socially isolated.

OBJECTIVES

The study identified benefits, challenges and facilitators in participating in remotely supervised online CY from the perspective of older adults with dementia and their caregivers, including what would help them to participate in online interventions.

METHODS

In a qualitative descriptive design, four online focus groups (two pre-intervention and two post-intervention) conducted via videoconference explored the benefits, challenges and facilitators in participating in a remotely supervised twice-weekly, 8-week online CY intervention. A total of 17 participants (eight people with dementia and nine family caregivers) attended the focus groups. The data were subjected to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis of data identified three themes from the perspectives of older adults with dementia and their caregivers: (a) benefits (e.g. sleep and relaxation, emotional regulation, flexibility, muscle strength, convenience, caregiver-participant connection), (b) challenges (e.g. technological setup) and (c) lessons learned (e.g. inclusion of caregiver, yoga instructor, visual cues, socialisation, safety). The online intervention was beneficial to participants, who reported that they wanted to continue home-based online CY practice.

CONCLUSION

Convenience was the major advantage for the participant to continue to practice online CY. The online intervention offered virtual socialisation, which could be significant for motivating older adults to continue the CY program.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Gerontological nurses could add CY as a nonpharmacological component of a treatment plan and monitor older adults' progress during the online intervention. The home-based online CY intervention should be prioritised to promote health and wellness in socially isolated older adults with dementia.