Which strategies help minimize dual-task interference in older adults during balance training?

• A. Reduce practice to minimal exposure
• B. Progressive task difficulty with repetitive practice, external focus cues, adequate rest
• C. Always train with maximum cognitive load
• D. Avoid external cues to focus on internal cues

Answer: (B)

Dual-task interference occurs when attention is split between a cognitive task and a balance task, and this splitting hits harder in older adults because processing capacity is reduced. To minimize that interference during balance training, the focus should be on building automaticity and managing cognitive load. Starting with tasks that are easy and increasing difficulty gradually helps the balance skill become more automatic, so it requires less conscious attention as training progresses. Repetitive practice reinforces the motor pattern, further reducing the mental resources needed to perform the task in real life. Using external focus cues—directing attention to the effects of movement in the environment rather than to body mechanics—tends to promote more automatic control and lowers cognitive demand. Adequate rest between trials and sessions prevents fatigue, which can deplete attentional resources and worsen dual-task performance. Together, these strategies make the balance task more robust to concurrent cognitive demands, which explains why this approach best minimizes dual-task interference.