Citation

Toots A, Littbrand H, Lindelöf N, Wiklund R, Holmberg H, Nordström P, Lundin-Olsson L, Gustafson Y, Rosendahl E. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2016; 64(1): 55-64.

Affiliation

Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jgs.13880

PMID

26782852

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of a high-intensity functional exercise program on independence in activities of  daily living (ADLs) and balance in older people with dementia and whether exercise effects differed between dementia types.

DESIGN: Cluster-randomized controlled trial: Umeå Dementia and Exercise (UMDEX) study. SETTING: Residential care facilities, Umeå, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older with a dementia diagnosis, a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 10 or greater, and dependence in ADLs (N = 186). INTERVENTION: Ninety-three participants each were allocated to the high-intensity functional exercise program, comprising lower limb strength and balance exercises, and 93 to a seated control activity. MEASUREMENTS: Blinded assessors measured ADL independence using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Barthel Index (BI) and balance using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) at baseline and 4 (directly after intervention completion) and 7 months.

RESULTS: Linear mixed models showed no between-group effect on ADL independence at 4 (FIM=1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-1.6-4.3; BI=0.6, 95% CI=-0.2-1.4) or 7 (FIM=0.8, 95% CI=-2.2-3.8; BI=0.6, 95% CI=-0.3-1.4) months. A significant between-group effect on balance favoring exercise was observed at 4 months (BBS=4.2, 95% CI=1.8-6.6). In interaction analyses, exercise effects differed significantly between dementia types. Positive between-group exercise effects were found in participants with non-Alzheimer's dementia according to the FIM at 7 months and BI and BBS at 4 and 7 months.

CONCLUSION: 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 ADL independence and improve balance, albeit only in participants with non-Alzheimer's dementia.

Language: en