AzTrials
AzTrials

Down Syndrome (DS)CareFit DS/ADNCT07425769

Adapting RDAD for DS

A study testing Remote Exercise Sessions and Caregiver Education Sessions in people with Down Syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), run by University of Kansas Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to observe feasibility and initial efficacy of a remotely delivered exercise and dementia caregiving intervention in older adults with Down syndrome and their caregivers. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Down Syndrome (DS), Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
What is being tested?
Remote Exercise Sessions and Caregiver Education Sessions
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
31 Mar 2026to 31 Dec 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age >35 yrs. with a diagnosis of DS as self-reported or reported by caregiver. This age range was selected as cognitive decline related to AD is observed at age ~31 in adults with DS.
  • Sufficient functional ability to understand directions, communicate preferences, wants, and needs through spoken language.
  • Living at home or in a supported living environment with a parent/caregiver who agrees to serve as a study partner.
  • Self-reported ability to participate in physical activity.
  • Age ≥18 yrs.
  • Reports being a primary caregiver of an adult with DS.
  • English speaking.
  • Self-reported ability to participate in physical activity.

Who cannot join

  • Unable to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
  • Self-reported, cardiovascular, metabolic or renal disease and/or signs or symptoms.
  • Unable to participate in moderate PA, i.e., brisk walking.
  • Self-reported, cardiovascular, metabolic or renal disease and/or signs or symptoms.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Amy Bodde, PhD contact

913-574-2447

abodde@kumc.edu

Joseph Sherman, MS contact

jsherman7@kumc.edu

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • University of Kansas Medical Center

    Kansas City, Kansas, 66160

    Amy Bodde, PhD, 913-574-2447, abodde@kumc.edu

    Joseph Sherman, jsherman7@kumc.edu

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Adapting the RDAD Intervention for Individuals With Down Syndrome Phase 3- Pilot Test

The goal of this clinical trial is to observe feasibility and initial efficacy of a remotely delivered exercise and dementia caregiving intervention in older adults with Down syndrome and their caregivers.

Read the detailed description

In Adapting RDAD for DS Phase 3 (CareFit-DS/AD), we will conduct a 12-week, single arm pilot trial intervention in 20 adults with DS/caregiver dyads. This intervention includes remote-delivered functional exercise classes for adults with DS and their caregivers, and remote delivered dementia caregiving training sessions for the caregivers. Participants with DS will complete 12 weeks of group exercise sessions (three ~30-minute sessions per week, caregiver optional) over video call, and caregivers will also receive a weekly ~40-minute group video call session of a dementia caregiver training/support group.

For participants within 50 miles of the study site, staff will travel to participant homes at baseline and following 12 weeks to perform assessments of physical function and to set up the Actigraph accelerometers. Saliva collection kits for caregivers will be mailed ahead of time and picked up at the home visit. Additionally, at baseline staff will deliver equipment for intervention delivery

For participants greater than 50 miles of the study site, staff will mail study equipment, including the Actigraph accelerometer, and schedule a video orientation meeting to assist with equipment setup. Physical function and caregiver saliva collection will not be collected for these participants.

Twelve unique pre-recorded exercise class sessions (endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility) will be performed 3 times each throughout the study (36 sessions total). The exercise session content and frequency are designed to improve functional fitness for daily activities and will challenge participants at a light and/or moderate intensity level. During the sessions, all participants will join a video call and follow along with a pre-recorded exercise video in a group format. A staff member trained in working with the population will be on the call to provide encouragement and feedback, while monitoring for participant safety. Caregivers may attend and participate in the exercise sessions, but will neither be encouraged or discouraged from doing so.

Caregivers will be asked to attend weekly group behavioral management training sessions via video call immediately following one of the 3 exercise sessions. These meetings will consist of information and resources for caregiving for a person with DS who has been diagnosed with dementia. The group will be moderated by a staff member trained in working with the population and will include presented information as well as group discussion time. Topics include the Overview of Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome; Behavior Management Strategies, Changing Expectations, etc.

Being tested
Remote Exercise Sessions, Caregiver Education Sessions
Medical subject headings
Down Syndrome, Alzheimer Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Remote Exercise SessionsBehavioural

    Participants will take part in thrice weekly exercise sessions using pre-recorded videos designed for older adults with Down syndrome. Participants will join video call and follow along with the video. A staff member familiar with the population will be on the call to provide modifications, encouragement and ensure participant safety.

  • Caregiver Education SessionsBehavioural

    Caregivers will join a once-weekly education session held via video call and led by a trained staff member. Education content will include how to support and manage challenging behaviors of older adults with Down syndrome who may be experiencing Alzheimer's disease-related symptoms.

Study groups in NCT07425769
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Remote Exercise and Caregiver EducationExperimentalSingle Arm with active intervention for remote exercise and caregiver education sessions
Receives: Behavioral: Remote Exercise Sessions; Behavioral: Caregiver Education Sessions

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Feasibility: Participant Recruitment

    Number of participants enrolled divided by number eligible on questionnaire

    Measured: Baseline

  2. Feasibility: Recruitment Rate

    Number of participants enrolled per month of active recruitment

    Measured: Baseline

  3. Feasibility: Participant retention

    Calculated as number of participants completing the intervention divided by the number who initiate the intervention multiplied by 100

    Measured: Baseline to Week 12

  4. Feasibility: Session Attendance

    Calculated as the percentage of sessions attended across 12 weeks.

    Measured: Across 12 week intervention

  5. Feasibility: Participant Safety

    Will be expressed as the total number of self-reported adverse events.

    Measured: Across 12 week intervention

Secondary outcomes (25)
  1. Participant Sedentary Time

    Assessed using an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer (ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL) worn on the non-dominant wrist over 7 consecutive days.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  2. Participant Physical Activity

    Light, moderate and vigorous physical activity will be assessed using an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer (ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL) worn on the non-dominant wrist over 7 consecutive days.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  3. Participant Five Times Sit to Stand

    Time required to stand up and return to seated position 5 times. Lower time indicates increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  4. Participant Timed Up and Go

    Time required to stand from a chair, walk 3 meters, pivot around a cone and return to a seated position. Lower times indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  5. Participant 2 Minute Step Test

    Number of steps with knees reaching a height of the midpoint of the femur participants are able to complete in 2 minutes. Higher scores indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  6. Participant Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques (FICSIT-4)

    The FICSIT-4 assesses static balance by positioning participants in 4 different stances: feet side-by-side; feet semi-tandem; feet tandem; and one foot. Each stance is attempted to be held for 10 seconds. Higher scores indicate improved physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  7. Participant Hand Grip Strength

    Grip strength for both the dominant and non-dominant hands will be assessed in triplicate and then scores averaged. Higher number indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  8. Participant Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living

    Will be assessed by proxy (caregiver report) using the 17-item Waisman Activities of Daily Living survey. Higher scores indicate increased independence with ADLs.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  9. Participant Behavioral Symptom-Related Severity

    Will be assessed by proxy report with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q). Higher scores indicate increased frequency and severity of behavioral symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  10. Participant Physical Function: PROMIS Short Form V2.0 Physical Function Surveys 8b and 8c

    Participant physical function will be assessed by self-report using PROMIS Short Form Surveys 8b and 8c. These surveys consist of questions pertaining to ability to perform activities of daily living. Responses are on a 5 point scale ranging from 'Without any difficulty' scoring 5, to 'Unable to do' scoring 1. Higher scores indicate improved physical function.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

  11. Caregiver Sedentary Time

    Assessed using an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer (ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL) worn on the non-dominant wrist over 7 consecutive days.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  12. Caregiver Physical Activity

    Light, moderate and vigorous physical activity will be assessed using an ActiGraph wGT3x-BT accelerometer (ActiGraph LLC, Pensacola, FL) worn on the non-dominant wrist over 7 consecutive days.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  13. Caregiver Five Times Sit to Stand

    Time required to stand up and return to seated position 5 times. Lower time indicates increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  14. Caregiver Timed Up and Go

    Time required to stand from a chair, walk 3 meters, pivot around a cone and return to a seated position. Lower times indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  15. Caregiver 2 Minute Step Test

    Number of steps with knees reaching a height of the midpoint of the femur participants are able to complete in 2 minutes. Higher scores indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  16. Caregiver Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques (FICSIT-4)

    The FICSIT-4 assesses static balance by positioning participants in 4 different stances: feet side-by-side; feet semi-tandem; feet tandem; and one foot. Each stance is attempted to be held for 10 seconds. Higher scores indicate improved physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  17. Caregiver Hand Grip Strength

    Grip strength for both the dominant and non-dominant hands will be assessed in triplicate and then scores averaged. Higher number indicate increased physical function. This will be collected from participants living within 50 miles of the study site during a home visit.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  18. Caregiver Strain

    Will be assessed using the Modified Caregiver Strain Index which captures multiple domains of caregiver strain (physical, emotional, financial). Higher scores indicate greater burden and need for support or intervention.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  19. Caregiver Unmet Needs

    Will be assessed by the Measure of Unmet Needs survey. Higher scores indicate larger amounts of unmet caregiver needs.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  20. Caregiver Self Efficacy

    Will be measured using a 9-item dementia caregiver self-efficacy measure. Caregivers will rate their certainty of handling challenging behaviors and access to community services. Higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  21. Caregiver Social Support

    Will be assessed with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The MSPSS is a 12-item measure of perceived social support measured on a total sum scale and on 3 domains: family, friends, and significant others. Higher scores indicate increased perception of social support.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  22. Caregiver Depression

    Will be measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Higher scores indicate increased caregiver depression risk.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  23. Caregiver Anxiety

    Will be measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7). Higher scores indicate increased anxiety symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  24. Caregiver Behavioral symptom-related distress

    Will be assessed by a subscale of NPI-Q. higher scores indicate increase symptom-related caregiver distress.

    Measured: Baseline and Week 12

  25. Caregiver Physical Function: PROMIS Short Form V2.0 Physical Function Surveys 8b and 8c

    Caregiver physical function will be assessed by self-report using PROMIS Short Form Surveys 8b and 8c. These surveys consist of questions pertaining to ability to perform activities of daily living. Responses are on a 5 point scale ranging from 'Without any difficulty' scoring 5, to 'Unable to do' scoring 1. Higher scores indicate improved physical function.

    Measured: Baseline and week 12

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted23 Feb 2026
  2. Study start31 Mar 2026
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)

Resources

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
Supportive care
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
40 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07425769
Sponsor's protocol ID
STUDY00162196
Other IDs
KL2TR002367
Acronym
CareFit DS/AD
Status last verified
May 2026
First submitted
11 Feb 2026
Last updated
3 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Remote Exercise Sessions and Caregiver Education Sessions in people with Down Syndrome (DS) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), run by University of Kansas Medical Center at 1 site in United States.

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 8 inclusion and 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Aug 2026. 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 United States. 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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Amy Bodde, PhD (913-574-2447, abodde@kumc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Feasibility: Participant Recruitment (time frame: Baseline). 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?
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 3 Aug 2026.

Free account

Keep searching with a free account

You’ve used your 3 free searches for this session. Log in or create a free AzTrials account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in