NEW YORK - REGULAR daily exercise benefits elderly women with dementia and these benefits appear to accrue over time, researchers from the Republic of Korea report.
Dr Kwak Yi Sub, assistant professor of sports medicine at Dong-Eui University in Busan, and colleagues compared daily functioning as well as mental and physical abilities of 30 women with senile dementia before and after half participated in a regular exercise programme.
Their findings, reported in the International Journal of Sports Medicine, suggest 'regular exercise improves the mental and physical health in senile dementia', Dr Kwak said.
The researchers enlisted 15 women who were about 80 years old on average and had doctor-diagnosed dementia, to participate in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise 2 to 3 days each week for a year. A similar group of 15 women did not participate in regular daily exercise and served as the 'control' group.
At study entry and again 6 and 12 months later Dr Kwak's team evaluated the participants' mental abilities through tests that determine orientation to time and place, memory recall, identifying and remembering objects, reading, and writing.
After 6 months, women in the exercise group showed a 20 per cent overall improvement in these abilities. After 12 months, mental ability scores improved by 30 per cent.
By contrast, the researchers noted no changes in the mental ability scores of the non-exercisers.
Women who exercised also improved in their abilities to perform acts of daily living, like getting dressed, feeding, and bathing. They also enhanced their capacity to exercise and their muscle strength.
Together, these findings indicate that regular exercise appears to help senile dementia patients maintain their independence, Dr Kwak and colleagues note. -- REUTERS
