Exercise: A boost to physical and emotional well-being in people with Alzheimer's

People with Alzheimer's feel better, both physically and emotionally, when they get regular, moderate exercise.
Moderate exercise helps many people with Alzheimer's disease feel better — both physically and emotionally. As little as 20 minutes of walking three times a week can boost mood, decrease falls, reduce wandering and delay nursing home placement in people with Alzheimer's.

Reducing the toll of depression
Up to 70 percent of people who have Alzheimer's disease also have symptoms of depression. They gradually lose the ability to participate in activities they once enjoyed, and may eventually withdraw from all activities.

Research shows that exercise lessens that tendency. In a sample of people with Alzheimer's, a moderate exercise program totaling at least 60 minutes a week for three months reduced rates of depression. Conversely, scores on a questionnaire that detects depression worsened in a control group that did not exercise.

Preventing falls
People with Alzheimer's have a higher risk of falls and fractures than do people the same age without the disease. Once injured, they are also more likely to re-injure themselves. These factors are directly related to impaired mobility and loss of independence.

Moderate exercise improves strength and coordination, which can reduce the risk of falls and injury.

Improving sleep
Sleep disturbances are common for people with Alzheimer's disease. They may become agitated at bedtime, wander at night or sleep fitfully. Caregivers become exhausted when they obtain only a few hours of sleep at a time, night after night. Regular physical activity is a natural sleep-enhancer. A daily walk or exercise class can help a person with Alzheimer's sleep more soundly at night.

Cutting down on wandering
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, the tendency to wander away from home and get lost increases. Wandering and the dangers that go with it often prompt caregivers to move their loved ones into nursing homes. In many cases, people with dementia appear to wander because of boredom or loneliness.

How to get started
Starting an exercise program is hard for everyone. Having Alzheimer's just makes it harder, because the disease makes it more difficult to learn new behaviors. As a caregiver, you may have to join in the exercise program. It may work even better if you exercise with other people with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.

A thorough physical exam will reveal any health problems that may impose restrictions on an exercise program. You might ask your physician for a "prescription" for exercise that you can show your loved one periodically, to encourage participation.

Improve quality of life
Exercise can help control many of the general health problems common in older persons, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also improves flexibility, strength and mobility. When you exercise with your loved one, you both benefit.

In addition to giving you an enjoyable activity to do together, exercise can reduce some of the behaviors that make it so difficult to care for a person with Alzheimer's. This can delay placement in a nursing home and improve your loved one's quality of life.

~Abbreviated
Source: www.mayoclinic.com

Growing Older, Eating Better
by Paula Kurtzweil

When Bernadette Harkins of Rockville, Md., could no longer feed herself properly, she moved to an assisted-living residence. Today, she can enjoy three meals a day served to her and about 30 other people in their home-like communal dining room.

When Harry of Moscow, Pa., could no longer feed himself properly, he moved in with his daughter and her family. With her guidance, he ate six times a day, snacking on high-calorie, high-protein foods, and maintaining a near-normal weight.

Harry (who asked that his last name not be used) and Harkins typify many of today's older generation. Living alone in most cases, they often are unable to meet their dietary needs and are forced to make compromises.

Harry didn't know how to cook. He developed cancer, which made it even more important that he eat a well-balanced diet. Harkins knew how to cook but didn't take time to prepare adequate meals for herself.

"I would snack is what I'd do," she said. "I would think about getting a meal and then just have a cup of tea and toast. I knew I wasn't doing the right thing as far as nutrition was concerned."

Their eating problems stemmed from loneliness and lack of desire or skill to cook. Other older people may eat poorly for other reasons, ranging from financial difficulties to physical problems.

The solutions can be just as varied, from finding alternative living arrangements to accepting home-delivered meals to using the food label developed by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Physical activity also is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Why the Concern?
Nutrition remains important throughout life. Many chronic diseases that develop late in life, such as osteoporosis, can be influenced by earlier poor habits. Insufficient exercise and calcium intake, especially during adolescence and early adulthood, can significantly increase the risk of osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become brittle and crack or break easily.

But good nutrition in the later years still can help lessen the effects of diseases prevalent among older Americans or improve the quality of life in people who have such diseases. They include osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, gastrointestinal problems, and chronic undernutrition.

Studies show that a good diet in later years helps both in reducing the risk of these diseases and in managing the diseases' signs and symptoms. This contributes to a higher quality of life, enabling older people to maintain their independence by continuing to perform basic daily activities, such as bathing, dressing and eating.

Poor nutrition, on the other hand, can prolong recovery from illnesses, increase the costs and incidence of institutionalization, and lead to a poorer quality of life.

Adverse reactions from medications can cause older people to avoid certain foods. Some medications alter the sense of taste, which can adversely affect appetite. This adds to the problem of naturally diminishing senses of taste and smell, common as people age.

Other medical problems, such as arthritis, stroke or Alzheimer's disease, can interfere with good nutrition. It may be difficult, if not impossible, for example, for people with arthritis or who have had a stroke to cook, shop, or even lift a fork to eat. Dementia associated with Alzheimer's and other diseases may cause them to eat poorly or forget to eat altogether.

Also, scientists looking into the benefits of exercise for older people agree that regular exercise can improve the functioning of the heart and lungs, increase strength and flexibility, and contribute to a feeling of well-being.

Any regular physical activity is good, from brisk walking to light gardening. Common sense is the key. But, before a vigorous exercise program is started or resumed after a long period of inactivity, a doctor should be consulted.

~Abbreviated
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

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