Exercise programs in elderly with cognitive impairment
Older people with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment are at increased risk of progressive physical deterioration, falls and hospital admissions. Exercise training has been shown to be helpful in institutionalised older people with cognitive impairment, but the effect of exercise on the equivalent population living in the comminity was less clear.
The authors of this systematic review have scoured the published literature to identify 11 randomised trials that have examined the effect of long-term home- and community-based exercise programs on people with dementia or other cognitive impairment who still live in the community.
Pooled data from these 11 randomised controlled trials identifies benefits in balance and in functional independence with basic activities (e.g., dressing, feeding) and instrumental activities (e.g., shopping, cleaning). Data from individual trials also show a reduction in falls in this population.
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> From: Lewis et al., J Physiother 63 (2017) 23-29. All rights reserved to the Australian Physiotherapy Association. Click here for the online summary.
