Effect of cognitive training in mobility and balance of elderly participants of a workshop on preventing falls

• Grant number: 15/26952-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Karina Gramani Say
• Grantee: Gabriella Cavallaro Pomponio
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aging process is accompanied by several changes in various systems of the body. These changes may result in losses observed in the health of the elderly population, as in cognitive function, gait, in Dual Task implementation and postural stability; Once added, these changes increase the chance of occurrence of falls in the elderly. Therefore, prevention plays an important role in reducing the negative outcomes resulting from the episode falls and costs in Public Health. The aim of this study is to verify the influence of cognitive stimulation in balance and mobility of elderly participants of a Falls Prevention program in São Carlos (SP). The sample is composed of 34 elderly people divided into two groups; the first will consist of 17 individuals participating in the work shop to prevent falls Primary Care that will receive cognitive stimulation and the second control group of 17 individuals who participate in the workshop to prevent falls that will not receive cognitive stimulation. For the evaluation of dynamic balance and gait Mini-bestest will be applied to the analysis of cognitive functions: MMSE, QMC22, DigitSpan, Cognitive Battery Light and Memory Complaint Test, the fear of falling through the FES-I instrument. Thus, the expected results of the study are to obtain a better understanding if cognitive stimulation is able to bring improvements in mobility, balance and implementation of Dual Task elderly participants of a workshop on preventing falls. (AU)