Tracking of Modifiable Risk Factors for the Development of Dementia in Older Adults

Research Study Summary

Researchers at the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging at Western (CCAA) recently completed a feasibility study titled “Tracking of Modifiable Risk Factors for the Development of Dementia in Older Adults” in partnership with affiliated colleagues at One Care Home and Community Support Services in Clinton, Ontario (One Care). The first goal of the study was to determine whether community-based assessors at the CCAA and at One Care could use a CCAA-developed database to store and to manage data related to eight modifiable risk factors for the development of dementia (i.e., depression, diabetes, hearing loss, hypertension, social isolation, physical inactivity, obesity and smoking). Collectively, the eight risk factors attribute 27% risk to the development of dementia (Livingston et al. 2017). Data were gathered via telephone interviews in March 2021 with older adults living in their own homes who are associated with either the CCAA or with One Care. The second goal was to determine whether assessors could interpret the results, could communicate the results to the older adult, and could recommend local and regional service providers from which the older adults could decide whether to seek advice regarding their risk factors for dementia.

The study used the CCAA-developed database software called “HAroLD” (Healthy Active Living Database) to store and to manage the data on risk factors.

Five assessors gathered data (n=3 from CCAA, n=2 from One Care). A total of eighty-seven older adults responded to the recruitment request (n=38 from CCAA, n=49 from One Care). Sixty-seven of the 87 participants (n=31 from CCAA, n=36 from One Care; n=46 women) completed the screening. Assessors were unable to contact 11% of those who provided consent. The CCAA researcher also gathered feedback via electronic surveys from the assessors and from the older adults who completed the screening.

Results showed that community-based assessors were able to use accurately the CCAA-developed database to store and to manage data related to the eight modifiable risk factors. All assessors reported being "very confident" or "confident" in administering the screening tool.

In addition, results showed that assessors were able to interpret the results, to communicate the results to the older adult, and to recommend appropriate local and regional service providers to the older adult participants.  At follow-up, 83% of the participants had either already explored receiving help to modify their risk factor or indicated that they would follow-up at their earliest convenience.

Further, we determined that the screening tool increased awareness among participants regarding the modifiable risk factors for the development of dementia. Before participating in the study, 52% reported being "somewhat" aware and 34% reported being "very" aware of the risk factors. After participating in the study 16% reported being "somewhat" aware and 68% reported being "very" aware of the risk factors for the development of dementia.

The significance and implications of the study are that community assessors can gather, input and interpret relevant data on modifiable risk factors for the development of dementia. Moreover, CCAA’s HAroLD software was shown to be user-friendly and effective at generating a personalized modifiable risk ‘profile’ of older adults. This is particularly important for its use in future functional fitness assessments and dementia risk profiling, laying the groundwork for the next series of related studies to be undertaken by CCAA Research Associates.