Staying Physically Active with Dementia

1. Staying Physically Active with Dementia Get Moving Kentucky! Moving for Health Lesson Series The development of the HEEL program was made possible by Senator Mitch McConnell with funds earmarked for the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Lexington, KY and budgeted through the CSREES/USDA Federal Administration.

2. Topics of Focus • What is dementia? • Why is physical activity important? • How can a caregiver incorporate physical activity?

3. What is Dementia? • Group of conditions marked by the destruction of brain cells • Cells are destroyed gradually • Leads to a decrease in mental function • Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia • Brain cell destruction leads to loss of memory • Abilities to learn, reason, make judgments and communicate are also lost

4. Physical Activity and Dementia The World Health Organization states that physical activity can help in the management of mental disorders such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

5. Physical Activity and Dementia • Regular physical activity can: • Provide social and community connectedness • Reduce feelings of loneliness • Improve self-confidence and self-sufficiency

6. Physical Activity and Dementia • Barriers • Loss of memory and the abilities to learn and communicate make it difficult to introduce new activities • Personality changes such as anxiety and agitation can make it difficult to keep patients motivated and involved in the activity

7. General Guidelines for Physical Activities and Alzheimer’s • Use simple and easy to follow activities • Spend a maximum of five minutes on each activity • Make directions simple and avoid directions that require memory skills such as the words right or left • Keep intensity very low for beginners • Make sure participants keep breathing normally • Stop and rest about every five minutes and have a conversation • Watch closely for overexertion or fatigue • Stop an activity if participants lose interest

8. Caregiver Ideas • Take a participant’s personal history into consideration when choosing activities • Feelings of pleasure and enjoyment often result when familiar activities are performed

9. Caregiver Ideas • Activities might include: • Chores • Dusting furniture, picking up sticks, setting dinner table • Games • Ball pass, bat the ball • Exercises • Walking, chair exercises

10. Summary • Dementia involves the destruction of brain cells that leads decreased mental function • Physical activity can enhance the quality of life for those with dementia • Caregivers can incorporate physical activity through chores, games and exercise

11. Sources • Alzheimer’s Association, What is Alzheimer’s Disease?, available online at http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp. • Harrison AL and English L. Developing a therapeutic exercise program for older adults with diverse cognitive abilities. Activities Directors’ Quarterly for Alzheimer’s & Other Dementia Patients. 2005; 6(2):35-48. • Sheriden, Carmel, Failure-free activities for the Alzheimer’s patient: A guidebook for caregivers, Oakland: Cottage Books, 1987. • World Health Organization, Physical activity and older people, available online at http://www.who.int/moveforhealth/advocacy/information_sheets/elderly/en/.

12. Contact your local County Extension Office for more information. Visit the current HEEL Web-site at:www.ca.uky.edu/heel This information is provided by the H.E.E.L. Program. Health Education through Extension Leadership (H.E.E.L.) is a partnership among the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program, the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health.

13. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.