Evaluating Technology-Assisted Block Training to Improve Thinking Skills, Hand Strength, and Dexterity in Older Adults Living in the Community

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a Technology-Assisted Block Training Program to improve cognitive function, hand grip strength, dexterity, and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. This mixed-methods study addresses the need for evidence-based care programs amid the aging population, focusing on combining cognitive and motor training to delay functional decline. The program integrates technology to enhance motivation and engagement beyond traditional block building and cognitive exercises. The intervention consists of a weekly 2-hour building block course incorporating mental rotation training. Participants engage in structured activities designed to develop spatial reasoning through hands-on manipulation of three-dimensional objects. The program includes a mental rotation virtual reality application validated by experts, offering real-time feedback, personalized difficulty adjustments, and multi-sensory stimulation to improve training effectiveness and participant motivation. Participants will undergo assessments at baseline and immediately after the 4-week intervention, measuring cognitive function with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, spatial cognition via the Mental Rotation Test, hand grip strength using a Jamar Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer, hand dexterity through the Purdue Pegboard Test, well-being with the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and system usability of the application. The study monitors participants subjective experiences and usability to understand the programs impact comprehensively. Participation is expected to start in March 2025 and continue until March 2026.

The Efficacy of a Technology-Assisted Block Training Program on Cognitive Function, Hand Dexterity, and Grip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Research