Regular Exercise Reduces Fall-Related Injuries for Those With Dementia and Alzheimer's

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society focuses on exercise's impact on reducing the risk of falls among people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, reports ConsumerAffairs . The researchers estimated that more than 60 percent of people with AD/dementia fall every year, and are twice as likely to fall compared to those without AD/dementia. The goal of the analysis was to determine whether AD/dementia subjects with neuropsychiatric symptoms were less likely to fall when exercise was a regular part of their routines. A comparison was made between participants who had community care without exercise with those who participated in group or home exercise. The findings indicated that participants with severe neuropsychiatric symptoms—such as depression or anxiety—had a higher risk for falls, although exercise proved to be beneficial. Moreover, those who had less severe symptoms, but did not exercise, still had a high risk of falling. People in the exercise cohorts were at less risk for falls, the reverse of those not in the exercise groups. The researchers think incorporating exercise into a routine of persons with AD/dementia will likely lower the risk of falls.