Chair Yoga for Stress in Dementia

April 11, 2025 updated by: Soham Rej MD, MSc, Lady Davis Institute

Effectiveness of a Virtual Chair Yoga Intervention for Reducing Stress in Older Adults With Dementia and Caregivers

Over 700,000 Canadians are affected by dementia costing the health care system approximately $10 billion/year. Due to COVID-19, the government has urged individuals over the age of 70 to stay home, putting this population at risk of social isolation. Older adults with mild cognitive impairments (MCIs), dementia, and their caregivers are at an even higher risk of becoming stressed, anxious, and agitated while in lockdown. Unsurprisingly, caregiver burden is extremely common, and often precedes institutionalization of the patient, as the demands of the illness begin to exceed that which the caregiver can sustainably provide. Since social distancing measures have shut down activities and support groups for these individuals, there is an urgent need for scalable, cost-effective, non-pharmacological interventions that can be delivered remotely to improve stress and loneliness. Yoga may be a viable therapeutic modality to address the psychological challenges associated with dementia in patients and caregivers, as it has been shown to decrease stress and improve anxiety and depressive symptoms in various populations. For this reason, we are conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the efficacy of an 8-week virtual chair yoga program to improve stress, psychological symptoms, and caregiver burden. This virtual chair yoga study will engage both older adults with dementia/MCI and caregivers (n=40-60 participants) during COVID-19, which is consistent with the need for decreasing costs and increasing accessibility of novel health interventions during and beyond the pandemic. We will evaluate the effect of this program on stress, loneliness, and mental health related outcomes such as fear of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, and caregiver burden compared to a waitlist control group. We will also be conducting a qualitative component in the form of semi-structured interviews. All quantitative outcomes will be assessed before the program starts and post-intervention and qualitative outcomes will be assessed post-intervention. Participants will be randomly assigned to the treatment group (virtual chair yoga 1 hour per week on Zoom) or the waitlist control group. The investigators hypothesize that after the 8-week yoga program, older adults and caregivers will report lower stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety, fear of COVID-19, and caregiver burden. Results will be available late-2021.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Terminated

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Quebec
      • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H4H 1R3
        • Douglas Mental Health University Institute
      • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3T 1E4
        • Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria for Older Adults:

  • Mild cognitive impairment or mild to moderate dementia (MoCA-BLIND score between 8-18 OR a diagnosis from his/her clinician of mild cognitive impairment) or mild to moderate dementia
  • Sufficient hearing to follow verbal instructions
  • Access to Zoom software and internet connection
  • Ability to sit for 60 minutes without discomfort
  • At least 60 years old

Exclusion Criteria for Older Adults:

  • Severe dementia (MoCA-BLIND score < 8)
  • Acute psychotic symptoms
  • Acute suicidal ideation or intent
  • Resides outside of Quebec

Inclusion Criteria for Caregivers:

  • Providing care for someone with cognitive impairments (mild cognitive impairment or mild, moderate, or severe dementia)
  • Sufficient hearing to follow verbal instructions
  • Access to Zoom software and internet connection
  • Ability to sit for 60 minutes without discomfort
  • At least 18 years old

Exclusion Criteria for Caregivers:

  • Dementia (MoCA-BLIND score < 18)
  • Acute psychotic symptoms
  • Acute suicidal ideation or intent
  • Resides outside of Quebec

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Chair Yoga Treatment
Behavioral: Virtual Chair Yoga
8-week virtual chair yoga program for one hour per week. Chair yoga is an effective way to offer modified yoga postures and relaxation techniques to individuals with limited mobility and/or advanced age for whom mat-based classes may not be accessible. The weekly yoga classes will be lead on the software Zoom by a certified instructor in English and French.
Placebo Comparator: Waitlist Control Group
Behavioral: Virtual Chair Yoga
8-week virtual chair yoga program for one hour per week. Chair yoga is an effective way to offer modified yoga postures and relaxation techniques to individuals with limited mobility and/or advanced age for whom mat-based classes may not be accessible. The weekly yoga classes will be lead on the software Zoom by a certified instructor in English and French.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in perceived stress scores as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on perceived stress in older adults and caregivers, using the PSS.

Scores on the PSS can range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

Hypothesis: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, older adults with dementia and their caregivers will report lower perceived stress, as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) compared to the waitlist control group.
Baseline, 8-weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in loneliness scores as measured by the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on perceived stress in older adults and caregivers, using the PSS.

Scores on the UCLA Loneliness Scale can range from 3-9, with higher scores indicating higher loneliness.

Hypothesis: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, older adults with dementia and their caregivers will report less loneliness, as measured by the UCLA Loneliness Scale compared to the waitlist control group.
Baseline, 8-weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in caregiver burden as measured by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on caregiver burden in caregivers, using the ZBI.

Scores on the ZBI can range from 0-88, with higher scores corresponding to higher levels of burden.

Hypothesis 1: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, caregivers of older adults will report less caregiver burden, as measured by the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) compared to the waitlist control group.

Hypothesis 2: Lower scores for older adults on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 (week 8) will be associated with decreased caregiver burden following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program.
Baseline, 8-weeks
Changes in depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on depressive symptoms in older adults and caregivers, using the PHQ-9.

Scores on the PHQ-9 can range from 0-27, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.

Hypothesis: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, older adults with dementia and their caregivers will report less depressive symptoms, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) compared to the waitlist control group.
Baseline, 8-weeks
Changes in symptoms of anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on symptoms of anxiety in older adults and caregivers, using the GAD-7.

Scores on the GAD-7 range from 0-21, with higher scores indicating more severe anxiety.

Hypothesis: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, older adults with dementia and their caregivers will report less symptoms of anxiety, as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) compared to the waitlist control group.
Baseline, 8-weeks
Changes in fear of COVID-19 as measured by the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FC-19S) for treatment group versus control group
Time Frame: Baseline, 8-weeks

The 8-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the virtual chair yoga treatment versus the waitlist control group will assess the effects of the virtual chair yoga on fear of COVID-19 in older adults and caregivers, using the FC-19S.

Scores on the FC-19S range from 7-35, with higher scores indicating more fear of COVID-19.

Hypothesis: Following participation in an 8-week RCT of the virtual chair yoga program, older adults with dementia and their caregivers will report less fear of COVID-19, as measured by the Fear of COVID-19 scale (FC-19S) compared to the waitlist control group.
Baseline, 8-weeks
Semi-structured interviews for the Qualitative Component
Time Frame: 8-weeks
8-weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Lady Davis Institute

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 27, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 13, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 13, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 29, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 11, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 14, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 16, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 11, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • GeriPARTy

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings