Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018;46(1-2):60-80.
doi: 10.1159/000491818. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Effects of Physical Activity in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Marinda Henskens  1 , Ilse M Nauta  2 , Marieke C A van Eekeren  3 , Erik J A Scherder  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Physical Activity in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Marinda Henskens et al. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2018.

Abstract

Background/aims: There is no consensus regarding the optimal nonpharmacological intervention to slow down dementia-related decline. We examined whether physical stimulation interventions were effective in reducing cognitive, physical, mood, and behavioral decline in nursing home residents with dementia.

Methods: Eighty-seven nursing home residents with dementia were randomly assigned to 3 physical activity interventions: activities of daily living (ADL) training, multicomponent exercise training, or combined multicomponent exercise and ADL training. Outcomes were measured at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months.

Results: A 6-month ADL training benefitted executive functions, physical endurance, and depression among men. Exercise training benefitted only grip strength of participants with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment. A combined training benefitted functional mobility compared to ADL training, depressive symptoms and agitation compared to exercise training, and physical endurance compared to no physical stimulation.

Conclusions: ADL training appears to be effective for nursing home residents with moderately severe dementia. It remains unclear whether exercise training is an effective type of stimulation.

Keywords: Activities of daily living; Behavior; Cognition; Dementia; Exercise; Mood; Nursing home; Physical functions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Flowchart of the sampling procedure. EX-ADL, exercise and ADL; ADL, social activity and ADL; EX, exercise and control; CO, social activity and control.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Forest plot of overall effect sizes and effect sizes after 3 (T1) and 6 months (T2) of ADL training. Effect sizes represented in Cohen's d; all outcomes are in favor of the ADL group. CI, confidence interval; ADL, activities of daily living; EF, executive functions; 6MWT, 6-min walk test. * p < 0.02: significant differences in outcome measure between groups.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Forest plot of overall effect size and effect sizes after 3 (T1) and 6 months (T2) of exercise training. Effect sizes represented in Cohen's d; outcome is in favor of the exercise group. CI, confidence interval. * p < 0.05: significant differences in outcome measure between groups.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Forest plot of overall effect sizes and effect sizes after 3 (T1) and 6 months (T2) of a combined exercise and ADL training. Effect sizes represented in Cohen's d; all outcomes are in favor of the EX-ADL group. CI, confidence interval; EX-ADL, exercise and ADL training; ADL, activities of daily living; TUG, timed up and go test; 6MWT, 6-min walk test. * p < 0.05: significant differences in outcome measure between groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Thuné-Boyle ICV, Iliffe S, Cerga-Pashoja A, Lowery D, Warner J. The effect of exercise on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: towards a research agenda. Int Psychogeriatr. 2012;24:1046–1057. - PubMed
    1. Eggermont LHP, Scherder EJA. Physical activity and behaviour in dementia: a review of the literature and implications for psychosocial intervention in primary care. Dementia. 2006;5:411–428.
    1. Scherder EJA, Bogen T, Eggermont LHP, Hamers JPH, Swaab DF. The more physical inactivity, the more agitation in dementia. Int Psychogeriatr. 2010;22:1203–1208. - PubMed
    1. Archer T, Kostrzewa RM, Beninger RJ, Palomo T. Staging neurodegenerative disorders: structural, regional, biomarker, and functional progressions. Neurotox Res. 2011;19:211–234. - PubMed
    1. Royall DR, Lauterbach EC, Cummings JL, Reeve A, Rummans TA, Kaufer DI, LaFrance WC, Jr, Coffey CE. Executive control function: a review of its promise and challenges for clinical research. A report from the Committee on Research of the American Neuropsychiatric Association. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2002;14:377–405. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms