Cognitive Groove community-based rehabilitation for older adults: study protocol for a multisite parallel randomized...

Promoting and maintaining intrinsic capacity, the composite of an individual's physical and mental abilities, is central to the World Health Organization's Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework. Intrinsic capacity reflects a person's overall functional ability and resilience. Strengthening intrinsic capacity through community-based, person-centered interventions is key to enabling older adults to live independently and maintain well-being. Dance-based rehabilitation represents a promising, holistic approach that supports multiple domains of intrinsic capacity, including locomotor, cognitive, and psychological function, within a single, engaging program.

This two-arm, parallel-group, single-blind trial compares Cognitive Groove to wait-listed control. Participants will attend 1-h group classes twice weekly for 3 months at YMCA sites. Eligibility includes a FRAIL Scale score ≥ 2, ability to walk 25 m (with or without assistive devices), and follow two-step instructions. The target sample is 250 older adults (125 per arm). The primary outcome is physical performance, measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), representing locomotor capacity within the ICOPE framework. Secondary outcomes align with other ICOPE domains and include measures of cognitive, psychological, sensory, and vitality capacities. Outcomes will be analyzed using generalized linear model (GLM) analysis to assess between-group differences over time. This protocol follows the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) guidelines.

By evaluating Cognitive Groove in real-world settings, the study will generate critical evidence to support the implementation of scalable, non-pharmacological strategies for frailty management in community-dwelling older adults.

This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06870149).