title: Improved Functional Performance in Individuals With Dementia After a Moderate-Intensity Home-Based Exercise Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: Individuals with dementia (IWDs) experience difficulties across cognitive and functional domains. Nonpharmacological interventions aimed at reducing disability are greatly needed. Exercise is a low-cost and easily implemented approach, but investigation has yielded mixed evidence to date. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a novel and innovative moderate-intensity functional exercise intervention for IWDs, which was developed using principles from exercise science along with a Strength-Based Approach, consisting of 24 home-based sessions.
  
  
  
  A randomized, controlled intervention trial with a 2-group pretest and posttest design was used with a sample of 23 community-dwelling IWDs (intervention group: n = 13; comparison group: n = 10). Average age of participants was 73.9 years (standard deviation, 9.1) with mild to moderate cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination, Mean = 20.8; standard deviation, 5.0).
  
  
  
  A 99.0% attendance rate indicated high adherence to the moderate-intensity exercise program. Efficacy was examined using multiple linear regression. Group assignment significantly predicted performance in key outcome measures, with IWDs from the intervention group improving in lower extremity strength (B = 5.92, t = 3.26, P = .004), balance (B = 4.04, t = 4.13, P = .001), and fast gait speed (B = .32, t = 2.61, P = .02). These findings indicated IWDs are able to participate in and benefit from a moderate-intensity functional exercise program, consisting of strength and balance activities.
  
  
  
  The current intervention used a Strength-Based Approach to facilitate implementation of exercise activities that could be completed by the sample. Therefore, integration of these techniques into mainstream clinical practice and research should be feasible with this patient population. Future research directions and implications of these findings also are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Professions, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Katherine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Judge
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Health, and Sport Science, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Hayden
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gerhart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003704:Dementia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D000076604:Physical Functional Performance; D004856:Postural Balance; D000072797:Walking Speed