An interventional study of Reading and Oral Exercise Program in Oral Frailty, Depression and Sarcopenia, sponsored by Mackay Memorial Hospital. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 55 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-24.
Sponsored by Mackay Memorial Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Depression is common among older adults and is often associated with declines in physical and oral health. Non-pharmacological, community-based interventions are needed to support both mental and physical well-being. This study examines the effects of a program combining group-based reading activities and oral exercises in community-dwelling older adults. Participants are randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which receives the six-week program, or a control group receiving general oral health education. The study evaluates whether the intervention can improve physical and oral function, enhance psychological resilience (grit), and reduce depressive symptoms.
8,577 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,720 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 81 across 7,063 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Mackay Memorial Hospital is the lead sponsor of 118 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Behavioral: Reading and Oral Exercise Program
Participants in the intervention group receive a combined program of group-based reading activities and oral exercises. The program is delivered in a focus group format and includes guided reading discussions to promote emotional expression and reflection, along with structured oral exercises to enhance oral muscle function. The intervention is conducted over a 6-week period, with sessions held once every two weeks for a total of three sessions.
Depressive Symptoms
Depressive symptoms measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: At baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention period
Oral Frailty
Oral frailty assessed using the Oral Frailty Index, with higher scores indicating greater oral frailty.
Time frame: At baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention period
Sarcopenia Risk
Sarcopenia risk assessed using the SARC-F questionnaire, with higher scores indicating greater risk of sarcopenia
Time frame: At baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention period
Grit
Grit assessed using the Grit Scale, with higher scores indicating greater perseverance and consistency of interest.
Time frame: At baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention period
No study locations are listed for this record.
Start is estimated for Apr 2026; primary completion for Dec 2026, 8 months later.
Of 3,468 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Depression, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 41. This study's planned 8 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 3,566 studies reached it within 21 months; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 41.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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