AgingNCT05202522
Virtual GERAS DANCE Feasibility RCT
A study testing Virtual GERAS DANCE in people with Aging, run by McMaster University at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE) is a therapeutic mind-body program for older adults (aged 60+) developed with rehabilitation and geriatric medicine expertise at the GERAS Centre for Aging Research at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aging
- What is being tested?
- Virtual GERAS DANCE
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 46 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2022to 30 Jun 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years of age;
- Has access, or has a caregiver who has access to a device at home that can support a videoconferencing service
- Able to ambulate independently with or without a walking aid; OR with caregiver supervision at home;
- Family physician's signature on a medical clearance form to ensure they are cleared to exercise safely.
Who cannot join
- Unable to speak or understand English and has no caregiver for translation;
- Significant cognitive impairment where they may have difficulty following two-step commands;
- Unstable angina or unstable heart failure;
- Travel plans that would result in missing greater than 20% of the trial's 6-week duration;
- Currently attending a group exercise program.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Canada1 site
McMaster University - St. Peter's Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario, L8M1W9
About this study
Official title: Dancing to Improve Mobility and Cognition: A Feasibility Randomized Control Trial of Virtual GERAS DANCE
GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE) is a therapeutic mind-body program for older adults (aged 60+) developed with rehabilitation and geriatric medicine expertise at the GERAS Centre for Aging Research at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. This study will examine if a virtual dance program is feasible for older adults and if dancing at home can benefit mind-body health, self-confidence, and mood.
Read the detailed description
GERAS DANCE fulfills an urgent need in our community to provide tailored evidence-based programming to help improve the health of older adults and was adapted for virtual implementation. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to measure (1) the feasibility of virtual GERAS DANCE in older adults to inform a large full-scale study, and (2) the potential effects of virtual GERAS DANCE on mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood in older adults. This study will utilize a single-center, prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled feasibility approach. This RCT will involve 48 older adults using a person-centered and coordinated model of care embedded into existing community health partnerships. Participants will be randomized to receive 6-weeks of virtual GERAS DANCE or usual care. All participants randomized to usual care will receive the dance intervention after study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the virtual GERAS DANCE program. The progressive GERAS DANCE curricula will be delivered virtually for 1-hr class twice weekly by a certified GERAS DANCE instructor. GERAS DANCE curricula include gradual increases in cognitive load and are based on motor learning principles of the ABCs of movement Agility, Balance, and Coordination. The ABCs of movement is essential to quickly and efficiently change the body position with balance and coordination. Assessments of mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood will occur at baseline and 6-weeks.
- Conditions
- Aging
- Being tested
- Virtual GERAS DANCE
- Keywords
- Dance, Exercise, Rehabilitation
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual GERAS DANCEBehavioural
Dance is a form of aerobic exercise that involves multicomponent training with physical, cognitive, and social dimensions and may have synergetic benefits when delivered in combination. GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE), a community-based rehabilitation program for older adults with cognitive decline and/or mobility impairments, has been adapted for virtual delivery through videoconferencing systems. Participants will receive twice-weekly (one hour per session) virtual dance sessions for a total of 6 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | During the study. participants in the control group will not receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention. However, they will receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention following study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the program. |
| Virtual GERAS DANCE Group | Experimental | Virtual GERAS DANCE will be delivered for 1-hr twice weekly for 6 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Virtual GERAS DANCE |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Recruitment Rate
5 patient/month
Measured: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
Retention Rate
target ≥ 70%
Measured: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
Data Collection completion
target ≥ 70%
Measured: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
Proportion of recruited patients
target ≥ 70%
Measured: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
Refusal Rate
target ≥ 70%
Measured: [Time Frame: Baseline, 6-weeks]
Secondary outcomes (6)
Change in Mobility
Assessed by the 5x Sit-to-Stand (time to complete). Faster times to complete indicate better performance.
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Balance
Balance confidence will be assessed using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABCs). Higher scores indicate greater balance confidence [range 0-100].
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Falls Self-Efficacy
Level of concern for falling will be assessed using the Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I). Higher scores indicate greater concern for falling [range 1-4].
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Frailty
Assessed by Fit-Frailty App. Higher scores indicate greater degree of frailty [range 0-1].
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Cognition
Assessed by Telephone-based Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Higher scores indicate better cognition [range 0-30].
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Mood
Assessed by Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) Questionnaire. Higher scores indicate greater depression [range 0-120].
Measured: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jan 2022
- Study start1 Mar 2022
- Primary completion30 Jun 2022
- Study completion30 Jun 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AgingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by McMaster UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 46 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- McMaster University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Alexandra Papaioannou, MD, MSc, Principal investigator, Scientific Director, GERAS Centre for Aging Research
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05202522
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 14400
- Status last verified
- Mar 2022
- First submitted
- 7 Jan 2022
- Last updated
- 27 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Publications
Hewston P, Marr C, Dashti A, Ioannidis G, Kennedy CC, Hladysh G, St Onge J, Marr S, Bray SR, Noseworthy M, Thabane L, Papaioannou A. Virtual GERAS DANcing for Cognition Exercise (DANCE) for older adults at home: a randomized feasibility trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2026 Jun 5;12(1):110. doi: 10.1186/s40814-026-01851-5.
PubMed 42244024
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Dancing to Improve Mobility and Cognition: A Feasibility Randomized Control Trial of Virtual GERAS DANCE
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05202522
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 14400
- Conditions
- Aging
- Keywords
- Dance, Exercise, Rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 46 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- McMaster UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE) is a therapeutic mind-body program for older adults (aged 60+) developed with rehabilitation and geriatric medicine expertise at the GERAS Centre for Aging Research at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. This study will examine if a virtual dance program is feasible for older adults and if dancing at home can benefit mind-body health, self-confidence, and mood.
Detailed description
GERAS DANCE fulfills an urgent need in our community to provide tailored evidence-based programming to help improve the health of older adults and was adapted for virtual implementation. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to measure (1) the feasibility of virtual GERAS DANCE in older adults to inform a large full-scale study, and (2) the potential effects of virtual GERAS DANCE on mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood in older adults. This study will utilize a single-center, prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled feasibility approach. This RCT will involve 48 older adults using a person-centered and coordinated model of care embedded into existing community health partnerships. Participants will be randomized to receive 6-weeks of virtual GERAS DANCE or usual care. All participants randomized to usual care will receive the dance intervention after study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the virtual GERAS DANCE program. The progressive GERAS DANCE curricula will be delivered virtually for 1-hr class twice weekly by a certified GERAS DANCE instructor. GERAS DANCE curricula include gradual increases in cognitive load and are based on motor learning principles of the ABCs of movement Agility, Balance, and Coordination. The ABCs of movement is essential to quickly and efficiently change the body position with balance and coordination. Assessments of mobility, balance self-efficacy, cognition, frailty, and mood will occur at baseline and 6-weeks.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | –During the study. participants in the control group will not receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention. However, they will receive the virtual GERAS DANCE intervention following study completion for equal opportunity to participate in the program. |
| Virtual GERAS DANCE Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Virtual GERAS DANCEVirtual GERAS DANCE will be delivered for 1-hr twice weekly for 6 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years of age;
- Has access, or has a caregiver who has access to a device at home that can support a videoconferencing service
- Able to ambulate independently with or without a walking aid; OR with caregiver supervision at home;
- Family physician's signature on a medical clearance form to ensure they are cleared to exercise safely.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Unable to speak or understand English and has no caregiver for translation;
- Significant cognitive impairment where they may have difficulty following two-step commands;
- Unstable angina or unstable heart failure;
- Travel plans that would result in missing greater than 20% of the trial's 6-week duration;
- Currently attending a group exercise program.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual GERAS DANCEDance is a form of aerobic exercise that involves multicomponent training with physical, cognitive, and social dimensions and may have synergetic benefits when delivered in combination. GERAS DANcing for Cognition and Exercise (DANCE), a community-based rehabilitation program for older adults with cognitive decline and/or mobility impairments, has been adapted for virtual delivery through videoconferencing systems. Participants will receive twice-weekly (one hour per session) virtual dance sessions for a total of 6 weeks. | Behavioural | Virtual GERAS DANCE Group |
Primary outcome
Recruitment Rate
Time frame: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
5 patient/month
Retention Rate
Time frame: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
target ≥ 70%
Data Collection completion
Time frame: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
target ≥ 70%
Proportion of recruited patients
Time frame: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]
target ≥ 70%
Refusal Rate
Time frame: [Time Frame: Baseline, 6-weeks]
target ≥ 70%
6 secondary outcomes
Change in Mobility
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Balance
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Falls Self-Efficacy
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Frailty
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Cognition
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Change in Mood
Time frame: Baseline and 6 Weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Aug 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42244024Hewston P, Marr C, Dashti A, Ioannidis G, Kennedy CC, Hladysh G, St Onge J, Marr S, Bray SR, Noseworthy M, Thabane L, Papaioannou A. Virtual GERAS DANcing for Cognition Exercise (DANCE) for older adults at home: a randomized feasibility trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2026 Jun 5;12(1):110. doi: 10.1186/s40814-026-01851-5.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Alexandra Papaioannou, MD, MSc principal investigator
Scientific Director, GERAS Centre for Aging Research
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual GERAS DANCE in people with Aging, run by McMaster University at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Recruitment Rate (time frame: [Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 10 months]). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05202522, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Aug 2025.