Hearing and memory training for mild cognitive impairment with hearing loss

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for people aged 60 or older with mild memory and thinking problems and hearing loss in at least one ear. It tests a 12-week hearing and thinking training program.

Age

60 Years and older

Sex

All sexes

Disease stage

Mild cognitive impairment (mild memory and thinking problems) by Petersen's criteria, plus hearing loss in at least one ear.

Earlier treatment

No formal cognitive or hearing (auditory) training in the past 6 months.

Biomarker or test result

Hearing loss shown by a 2- or 3-digit score above the norm value on the integrated Digit-in-Noise (iDIN test).

Main reasons for not taking part

• Moderate or severe cognitive impairment
• Other sensory problems, such as with sight
• No smartphone to reach the online training materials
• No main family caregiver available

The registry criteria, word for word

What the trial wants to find out

Although previous studies indicated that tackling hearing loss may have a secondary benefit in improving cognitive function and delaying the onset of dementia, a more integrated care approach to optimize both hearing and cognitive function may be needed for individuals who already developed cognitive decline. To address the dual care needs for PwMCI and hearing impairment, it may be possible to integrate auditory training into cognitive training, as both of them are activity-based and focus on increasing the attention and working memory of an individual to engage in the auditory communication process. Moreover, auditory instruction is one of the core mediums in delivering cognitive training activities. It is highly possible to integrate the auditory training curricular to the corresponding administration process. To tackle the enhanced support need of individuals with dual functional impairment to engage in an integrated training protocol, strategies including a goal-oriented approach and peer support can be integrated to optimize the empowerment network. Including family members in the training is also important, as the auditory-communication process in everyday life would take place in the social interactional context.

The 2 groups in the trial

• ENACT programTreatment being tested

  The ENACT Program is an overall 12-week training and comprises of three phases as follows: 1. Goal-oriented health counseling phase (1st - 2nd week) - A nurse consultation will be conducted in the center with the aim to identify the participants' experience of living with the hearing and cognitive impairment. 2. Peer-assisted group-based auditory-cognitive training phase (3rd-8th week) - This phase is led and conducted by the nurse with the focus to provide combined group-based auditory and cognitive training (group size = 6) with support from the trained peers. 3. Family engaged active-communication training phase (9th - 12th week) - This phase is to empower the PLwMCI and their primary caregivers on active communication strategies in the presence of hearing loss. In the 2nd and 3rd phase, the nurse will continue to monitor the goal attainment of the PLwMCI and make additional health counseling and goal adjustment accordingly.

  Treatment: Empowerment Network for Auditory-Cognitive Training (ENACT) Program

• Usual carePlacebo, for comparison

  Usual care will be provided to the control group which mainly covers the social activities offered by the affiliated center. The participants are requested not to join any activities relating to cognitive training or auditory training before the post-test data collection.