2860 Can clinical assessments be administered in a remotely delivered clinical trial targeting older adults at risk for dementia?

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Abstract Introduction Research suggests that physical and cognitive exercise can have a positive effective on those with dementia, but less is known about such interventions in those at risk for dementia. Understanding the feasibility of administering clinical assessments remotely using Zoom for HealthcareTM in the context of a dementia prevention trial for at risk older adults is not well understood. Methods SYNERGIC@Home/SYNERGIE~Chez soi (NCT04997681) is a home-based, remotely delivered clinical trial targeting older adults at risk for dementia. Participants underwent a screening/baseline assessment and were randomised to one of four physical and cognitive exercise intervention arms for 16 weeks (3 times per week). They were reassessed immediately post-intervention and 6-months later. The standardised assessments of cognition, physical activity, mobility, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and quality of life were done at all three points. A research coordinator completed the assessments on a one-on-one basis via Zoom for HealthcareTM. The quality-of-life questionnaire was mailed to the participant. Results Forty-eight of 60 participants (80%) (mean age 68.7 ± 5.7 years, 81.3% female) completed the study. Most participants (75.0%) were cognitively intact with at least 2 dementia risk factors. No participants withdrew from the trial because of difficulty with the remote delivery of the assessments. There were no statistically significant changes in any of the assessments of cognition, physical activity, mobility, mental health, nutrition, sleep, or quality of life throughout the study. Conclusion This study demonstrates it is possible to administer standardised clinical assessments of cognition, physical activity, mobility, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and quality of life remotely in the context of a clinical trial. The study was not powered to detect meaningful differences in these assessments. Nevertheless, this confirms the feasibility of remotely administering clinical assessments to older adults at risk for dementia.