Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Research and Innovations (new projects / technology / innovations / service models)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Enhancing Partnership with Patients and Community (Projects initiated to engage patients / carers / community to improve efficiency / quality of care)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Tam CY
Affiliation :
Accident and Emergency Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
Cognitive frailty is the coexistence of physical frailty and mild cognitive impairment. Motor-cognitive training effectively reverses and prevents further deterioration in elderly with cognitive frailty.Elderly with cognitive frailty are more likely to develop dementia and have falls. The current time-pressured Accident and Emergency Department (AED) setting is challenging for the practitioners to have an intervention to maintain or improve the functioning of elderly. There is a mismatch of service in traditional emergency medicine with the demand of the elderly population. Particular intervention for these elderly is needed. Based on the previous literature, motor-cognitive training improve the functioning of the elderly. However, the effect in home setting is unknown.
Objectives :
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions on (1) cognitive functions, (2) physical functions and (3) frailty status.
Methodology :
This study was a single-blinded pilot randomised, controlled study. Subjects were allocated to either the intervention or control group by a 1:1 ratio. The program targeted older adults aged 60 or above with cognitive frailty and discharged from AED. The intervention lasted for 12 weeks, with three 90-minute sessions per week at home. Physical activity training included brisk walking and chair-based elastic band exercises. Apps "Cognifit" were used for cognitive training. Data will be collected in two-time points, baseline and post-intervention.
Result & Outcome :
Physical frailty level, physical performance, and cognitive function pre and post intervention were assessed. A total of 40 subjects were recruited, and 3 subjects dropped out. The fried Frailty Index, physical performance (TUG, 6MWT, hand grip strength), cognitive function (FOME and MoCA) showed improvement in post assessment in intervention group. However no statistically significant improvement in the between group comparison, due to the small sample size in the pilot study.
