Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Results of this field of study showed that Alzheimer's patients who were active were adequate to improve and expand their existing mold routines (Teri, 1998, 417). The broadcast was well-received by the patients, with 100 percent of subjects attempting some exercise during the 12 weeks of the program. one(a) third of the gathering completed completely exercises that were assigned. Mood and appearance of the subjects was found to be improved on the days they exercised.

The study was not without problems. The patients were e rattling(prenominal) suffering from dementia to some degree, and so compliance was sometimes difficult. Not all patients were equally active, so exercise was more difficult for some than others. Not all caregivers were equally capable of assisting in exercise programs. The sample size of this study was small and homogeneous, and they had a relatively high pedagogics level. It was not fully representative of the Alzheimer's population at large, or their caregivers. Also, the study did not include a control group of patients who were of similar age and ethnicity and socioeconomic and educational background who each did not have Alzheimer's or had it and were not suffering from dementia.

Because of all these problems with the study, nothing clearly definitive came out of it except that the patients exercised more when encouraged to do so, and their mood improved when exercising, but this could be sai

d for either higher-ranking citizens. It has no direct relevance to Alzheimer's patients as no conclusions stool be drawn from the data about any usefulness in Alzheimer's symptoms.

The University of Arizona has an Elderly Rehab program, which includes an exercise program for Alzheimer's patients and is conducted by undergraduate students on a one-on-one basis (Arkin, 1999, 730). A report was published on 14 patients, 13 with diagnosed Alzheimer's and one with probable Alzheimer's, who had completed all or part of a 12-month program.

Two patients had moderate disease, 9 had mild disease, and 3 had very mild disease (732). The exercise sessions consisted of stretching, treadmill followed by unmoving bicycle (5 min each to start), then weight knowledge after a brief rest.

The main benefits reported for the program were significant fitness and mood improvements, and caregivers reported socialization benefits. but a small number of patients have been studied so far, and only those with very mild to moderate Alzheimer's, so with a limited degree of dementia as compared to those of Teri et al's experiments. Again, the benefits seem to be very general, and no specific benefits to Alzheimer's which would not occur for any other age-matched patients were seen. It is well-accepted that even the oldest adults can improve cardiovascular function, step-up flexibility, balance, and strength with regular exercise, and exercise can reduce imprint in dementia patients. This is all that has been shown in these studies on Alzheimer's patients and exercise to date, and nothing new has been shown for Alzheimer's patients specifically.

Arkin, S. M. (1999). Elder rehab: A student-superv
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