Could Exercise Improve Quality of Life in Dementia Patients?

A 4-month, high-intensity exercise program can improve elderly dementia patients’ balance and reduce dependence, according to a new study.

Because dementia is a growing issue around the world, researchers wanted to explore whether high-intensity exercise—performing daily activities independently instead of with the assistance of a caregiver—would affect dementia patients’ daily life activities and balance.
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To conduct their study, researchers followed 186 dementia patients living in residential care facilities, all of which were 65 years old and older and were part of the Umeå Dementia and Exercise (UMDEX) study in Sweden.

Patients were separated into 2 groups: the first group remained sedentary, participating in stimulating group activities such as singing or reading aloud, while the other group participated in an exercise program that focused on leg strength and balance. Sessions were held 2 to 3 times per week for 45 minutes per session.

After 4 months, patients in the exercise group showed improvements in their balance over the sedentary group. While deterioration was noted in all participant’s independence and ability to manage everyday activities, the loss was slower in those participants in the exercise group.

“In older people with mild to moderate dementia living in residential care facilities, a 4-month high-intensity functional exercise program appears to slow decline in activities of daily living independence and improve balance, albeit only in participants with non-Alzheimer dementia,” researchers concluded.

--Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Toots A, Littbrand H, Lindelöf N, et al. Effects of a high-intensity functional exercise program on dependence in activities of daily living and balance in older adults with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc. Published online ahead of print January 19, 2016. doi:10.1111/jgs.13880.