Study protocol of the OrkA project: orofacial and communicative activation in old age– a cluster randomized prevention study in long-term care facilities in Lower Saxony, Germany

The process of aging involves numerous changes in the body, influencing physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Age-related changes and degradation can impact various functions of the swallowing process and lead to delayed word retrieval. Individuals with limited linguistic stimulation may experience a more rapid decline in cognitive performance. Thus, this project explores a preventive training program targeting swallowing and linguistic-communicative skills, aimed at preserving the social participation of older individuals residing in nursing homes.

A preventive intervention program, combining orofaciopharyngeal and linguistic-communicative components, will be offered twice weekly over 12 weeks in long-term care facilities in the greater Hanover area. The program will aim at: (a) activating sensitive and motor skills in the orofaciopharyngeal area to counter age-related swallowing disorders, and (b) enhancing communicative abilities through semantic-lexical activation. A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted to investigate whether the intervention program improves swallowing skills in older adults. Additionally, a secondary analysis will explore the impact on language skills and social participation, as well as program acceptance.

The results will provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of preventive measures addressing swallowing and speech issues in older individuals.

The trial was registered with DRKS (German register for clinical trials) in June 2023 (study ID: DRKS00031594) and the WHO International Clinical Trail Registry Platform (secondary register).