Effects of a three-year exercise therapy program on cognitive functioning of elderly personal care home residents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Intense Exercise Therapy (IET) on the cognitive levels offunctioning of elderly persons monitored for three years. The study was based on the premise that daily group exercise enhances physiological as well as psychological processes and consequently may improve cognitive abilities for elderly persons. The study hypothesized that the cognitive functioning level of elderly persons participating in the IET would be significantly higher than the level of those persons in the no treatment control group. A previous study by Lindenmuth and Moose' indicated a positive effect of exercise therapy on cognitive functioning for Alzheimer patients. The sample consisted of 82 elderly (64-98 years old) residents of eight separate personal care facilities in Pennsylvania. Residents who volunteered attended by choice either group exercise therapy or a no treatment control group. A pretest, posttest experimental design was utilized in an attempt to control extraneous variables. Pretreatment, during treatment, and posttreatment measures were collected on the Cognitive Abilities Screening Test (CAST). After participating in the IET, elderly persons were found to have significantly higher (2 < .001) cognitivefunctioning levels. Thesefindings lead to the conclusion that effects of the IETincluded an improvement in cognitive levels offunctioningfor the elderly participants in the treatment group. In addition, elderly persons in the control group showed Alzheimer-like symptoms and demonstrated CAST scores indicative of moderate impairment and organic brain disease. The implication is that a strategy such as the IET used by personal care homes and other institutions caring for the elderly would be of benefit in assisting elderly residents to maintain and improve cognitive levels. The IET is especially practical due to ease of use, low cost, and brevity of actual exercise sessions.

Alzheimer rehabilitation by students: Interventions and outcomes

“…No longer an activity just for the young and fit, exercise is demonstrating especially dramatic improvements among the very old, the very frail, and the cognitively impaired subgroups of seniors (Buchner & de Lateur, 1992;Fiatarone, 1996;Lindenmuth & Lindenmuth, 1994;Pitetti, 1993).…”

Therapeutic recreation interventions for need-driven dementia-compromised

“…Research indicates that TRIs of a physical nature, that are designed to meet the specific needs of individuals, can improve physical functioning, 23,27,28 and decrease agitated behaviors. [29][30][31][32] Adventure programs, such as wheelchair biking, were successfully used in three research projects to reduce symptoms of depression, increase psychosocial opportunities with peers, and to reduce passivity. [33][34][35][36] This program consistently brought depressed, inactive individuals to a new level of active engagement and significantly reduced symptoms of depression.…”

Exercise and Volunteer Work: Contexts for AD Language and Memory Interventions

“…The benefits of regular exercise are even greater for very old (age > 80 years), medically fragile, frail, and cognitively impaired elders. [42][43][44] Indeed, the American College of Sports Medicine 45 has published a detailed guide for exercise programs for individuals with 40 different chronic disabilities.…”