Chair yoga to improve thinking and engagement in older adults with heart failure

Engaging Stakeholders and Patients to Evaluate the Feasibility of Yoga to Improve Cognitive Function in Rural Heart Failure Patients in the Deep South

Not applicable Interventional Auburn University · NCT07489105

This project will try 12 weeks of online chair yoga to see if it helps thinking and engagement for people aged 55 and older with heart failure.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment20 (estimated)
Ages55 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorAuburn University Academic / other
Locations1 site (Auburn, Alabama)
Trial IDNCT07489105 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a two-phase, 20-person pilot using a patient-centered approach to test the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week online chair yoga program for adults with heart failure. In Phase 1 stakeholders and patients help design the initial protocol while the first 10 participants complete the online intervention and provide pre/post data. Investigators use participant feedback and feasibility data to revise the protocol, then pilot the revised program with 10 additional participants in Phase 2. Outcomes focus on feasibility, acceptability, patient-centered measures, and preliminary signals of change in cognitive function.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 55 or older with a diagnosis of heart failure who can safely perform chair-based yoga, are not currently in a yoga program, and can join online sessions.

Not a fit: Patients with traumatic brain injury, major neurological or psychiatric disorders, implanted defibrillators/left ventricular assist devices or cardiac transplants, active substance abuse, severe physical limitations preventing yoga, or those already doing yoga are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a low-impact, home-delivered activity that may improve attention, memory, and quality of life for older adults with heart failure.

How similar studies have performed: Small studies in older adults have suggested yoga can improve cognition and mood, but the application specifically in people with heart failure is novel and not well established.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Heart failure diagnosis
* Aged 55 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

* Traumatic brain injury, co-existing neurological and psychiatric disorders
* Implanted defibrillator or metal objects, left ventricular assist device placement, or cardiac transplant
* Substance abuse
* Unable to perform yoga due to physical limitations or severity of illness
* Currently engaged in a yoga program

Where this trial is running

Auburn, Alabama

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Heart FailureRural HealthEngagement, Patient
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.