The Center for Geriatric Medicine at the Nuremberg Clinic and the Theo and Friedl Schöller Foundation have awarded two scientific studies the Schöller Prize for Geriatric Medicine 2024. Two projects to treat sleep disorders in dementia and to prevent falls in older people received awards. The two research teams share the annual prize worth 20,000 euros, which is one of the most important awards in geriatric medicine.
People with dementia: Improve sleep without medication
A collaboration of researchers from the University of Lübeck, the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the University of Cologne developed the winning project “MoNoPoL-Sleep”. It aims to improve the sleep of people with dementia in care facilities without medication.
“Ensuring good sleep quality poses major challenges for inpatient geriatric care facilities,” said Martin Töpfer from the participating Institute for Nursing Science at the University of Cologne. “Medications such as sleeping pills and psychotropic drugs are often used, but they are largely ineffective and even harmful. That is why measures are urgently needed that directly address the needs of people with dementia and create sleep-promoting concepts in the facilities themselves.”
A tailored intervention program resulted in sleep quality increasing by 25 percent in participating facilities.
Read details about the research project in our specialist article.
“MoNoPoL Sleep” will now be further developed in a follow-up study and further examined on a larger sample. Interested care facilities can download the training materials developed in the project on the Project page retrieve.
Fall prevention: Better reactions thanks to running training
A study paper by sports scientist Ulrike Trampisch from the Clinic for Geriatric Medicine and Early Rehabilitation at the Marien Hospital Herne University Hospital also received an award. The project examined balance training on a special treadmill that simulates stumbling situations and thus promotes the ability to react. The method showed initial positive effects on the patients’ physical performance. Here too, a follow-up study is in progress.
