RESUMEN
This one-arm pilot study investigated the effect of tai chi on cognition in elders with cognitive impairment. Although no significant difference existed between pre- and post-test performance on all cognition measures, a dose-response relationship was demonstrated between attendance and some cognition measures.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/rehabilitación , Taichi Chuan , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Artritis/rehabilitación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Aptitud Física , Proyectos PilotoRESUMEN
This article describes the authors' experience and strategies in teaching Tai Chi, a gentle exercise derived from an ancient Chinese martial art, to mildly cognitively impaired elders to relieve osteoarthritic knee pain. The 12-form Sun-style Tai Chi, a set of Tai Chi forms endorsed by the American Arthritis Foundation, was used in the program. Teaching Tai Chi to elders with mild cognitive impairment requires particular strategies tailored to their physical and cognitive frailty. When effectively taught, Tai Chi can be a unique and cost-effective intervention for elders with knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This article describes the authors' experience and strategies in teaching Tai Chi, a gentle exercise derived from an ancient Chinese martial art, to mildly cognitively impaired elders to relieve osteoarthritic knee pain. The 12-form Sun-style Tai Chi, a set of Tai Chi forms endorsed by the American Arthritis Foundation, was used in the program. Teaching Tai Chi to elders with mild cognitive impairment requires particular strategies tailored to their physical and cognitive frailty. When effectively taught, Tai Chi can be a unique and cost-effective intervention for elders with knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
RESUMEN
This article reports a pilot study of the effect of tai chi (TC), a pharmacological adjunct and mild aerobic exercise, on osteoarthritic knee pain in elders with cognitive impairment (CI). The TC program included a warm-up, 12-form Sun-style TC, and a cool-down period, for a total of 20-40 minutes per session, twice a week for 15 weeks. The results showed no significant differences in knee pain after the TC intervention in 7 elders with CI. However, more minutes of TC attendance were related to improved pain scores (Spearman's rho=.78, P < .05). Greater accuracy in TC performance was also correlated with improvements in pain scores (Spearman's rho = .70, P=.08). Of 4 elders who participated in TC practice regularly (more than 20 sessions), 3 showed clinically important improvements, but 3 elders who participated in no sessions or only a few sessions showed no improvement.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos del Conocimiento/complicaciones , Osteoartritis/terapia , Taichi Chuan/métodos , Anciano , Humanos , Osteoartritis/complicaciones , Proyectos Piloto , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Exercise is an adjunct intervention for treating osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain, but many older adults, especially those with cognitive impairment, refuse to participate because of their frailty. Tai chi is a gentle alternative to Western-style aerobic exercise. In this article, we report recruitment experiences based on older adults' comments and on staff's observations and reports in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) using tai chi as an intervention to reduce OA knee pain in a population of older adults with cognitive impairment. Recruitment challenges included issues with retirement apartment site staff, the older adults, study criteria or study design, and insufficient research staff. Strategies included networking and staying connected with site staff, using various recruiting approaches, providing incentives/motivation, and using informal leaders or residents as a way to recruit participants. Finally, modifying strict study criteria, securing staff for recruiting, and considering alternative designs to the classical RCT can also help overcome recruitment challenges.
Asunto(s)
Anciano , Trastornos del Conocimiento/complicaciones , Investigación en Evaluación de Enfermería/métodos , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/prevención & control , Selección de Paciente , Taichi Chuan , Anciano/psicología , Arkansas , Instituciones de Vida Asistida , Actitud Frente a la Salud , Evaluación Geriátrica , Humanos , Motivación , Personal de Enfermería/psicología , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/complicaciones , Dolor/etiología , Dolor/prevención & control , Dolor/psicología , Proyectos Piloto , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto/métodos , Proyectos de Investigación , Sujetos de Investigación/psicología , Taichi Chuan/métodosRESUMEN
This paper addresses the feasibility of implementing Tai Chi (TC) as an intervention for nursing home residents with osteoarthritis knee and cognitive impairment (CI). Recruiting elderly residents to participate was difficult. Only 9 out of the 31 originally thought eligible meet study criteria and 8 of the 9 elders eventually completed the study. With 2 sessions per week, the elders needed 8-10 weeks to learn the complete set of TC. They could not memorize the TC sequences, but they could follow the instructor who also employed verbal and visual cueing during the intervention. Clearly, elders with CI need different teaching methods and doses of TC. Using extended TC and teaching strategies tailored to participants' physical and cognitive capacity may promote effective learning.