Study: Regular Exercise With Caregiver Supervision Benefits Alzheimer Patients

A regular exercise program combined with caregiver education and supervision improved the physical and emotional health of individuals with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

As reported in the October 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, 153 pairs of patients and their caregivers were assigned to either a combined exercise and caregiver training program or to routine medical care.

Home healthcare workers showed the people with Alzheimer's how to perform a series of moderate exercises and taught caregivers how to encourage and assist their patients.

The study found that people with Alzheimer's in the exercise program showed significantly higher levels of physical activity, lower rates of depression and better physical health and function than those who had routine care.

"It is important to understand that this treatment strategy is not just about exercise," said Cornelia Beck, of the Alzheimer's Association. "An equally important part of the intervention were the…sessions with caregivers teaching them how to introduce exercise, make it easy and fun to do, fit it into their schedule and handle conflicts that might arise. It is likely that the program would not have been as successful without this caregiver education piece."

Other sources: Alzheimer's Association, JAMA. 2003;290:2015-2022