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Exercise

Why exercise is important for people living with dementia

Exercise is not only good for the body, it boosts mood and helps with sleep problems, too

Whether the person you’re caring for has exercised all their life or they’re a big fan of the sofa, now’s the time to start encouraging them to move their body. Because the health and mental wellbeing benefits of being active when living with dementia are huge.

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Exercise is great for:

  • Improving sleep – and the knock-on effects of feeling more rested can bring an improvement in overall mood. You can read more about sleep, dementia, and the benefits of exercise here <link to John Sleep> but exercising outdoors – particularly in the morning – means a whole host of benefits will be felt.

  • Keeping flexible. This means they’ll have an easier job with everyday tasks like getting in and out of the bath, moving from sitting to standing, bending down to do up shoes etc.

  • Improving strength. We all experience muscle loss as we age so anything that helps with that is a benefit. We all also need to improve bone strength so that we’re less likely to experience fractures if we happen to fall over.

  • Boosting social life. If you can help the person you’re caring for to find a form of exercise that can be enjoyed with others, so much the better. You’ll be ticking more than one box if you can socialise, have fun and help someone with dementia to improve their fitness levels. Find out what’s going on in your area here <Link to What’s on>.

  • Improving mood. When our bodies are strong, flexible and feel great, our minds do, too and this is no different for someone living with dementia. And of course, exercising outside in the fresh air in nature is a big thumbs up for boosting mood, too.

  • Staying healthy. Exercise improves heart health and circulation and reduces the risk of obesity and the diseases that come with it. It also helps prevent certain cancers, diabetes, osteoarthritis and depression.

  • Helping with spatial awareness and other cognitive skills and could help reduce the risk of falls and accidents.

One study, which looked at the impact of exercise on the risk of falls in those living dementia, even suggested that exercise could help people to remain independent for longer, especially if activities are started in the earlier stages of the disease*.

Be sensible

According to the NHS we should be active every day and doing some form of exercise for a minimum of two and a half hours a week. If the person you’re caring for is over 65, it’s recommended that they do something that improves strength and flexibility at least twice a week.

In summary, we should all reduce the amount of time spent sitting down, even if that means walking to the shops rather than driving, doing our own gardening or a taking part in a spot of vigorous housework.

If the person you’re caring for has never exercised before, encourage them to start slowly. If in doubt, speak to the doctor or another health professional before starting a new activity. And watch out for signs of dizziness, feeling faint or any areas of pain.

Great exercise ideas

Ideally, you should be encouraging the person you’re caring for to exercise in a way that improves heart health, strengthens muscles and improves flexibility and balance. But the best type of exercise is the one that is most enjoyed so it’s not a struggle to get them to participate in it regularly.

One of easiest ways to exercise is to walk – and if you can encourage the person you’re caring for to do that with others or in a park or other natural environment, they’ll see even greater benefits

Here are some other ways of keeping fit for people who are living with dementia:

  • Yoga

  • Pilates

  • Tai Chi

  • Working out with weights or resistance bands

  • Exercise using body weight – push-ups and sit-ups etc

  • Gardening – digging etc

  • Running

  • Football

  • Tennis and other racquet sports

  • Dancing

  • Aerobics

  • Cycling

  • Hiking

  • Swimming

  • Golf

You can find a full list of exercise types and their benefits on the NHS website here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/ including a set of videos which show you how you can encourage exercise at home.

You can also find ideas for activities and exercise groups in your local area here <Link to what’s on>

Exercising with mobility issues

Even if the person you’re caring for can’t move easily, there are still some great ways to exercise and enjoy the benefits it brings.

The Alzheimer’s Society has some ideas here <link https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/exercise/starting> but advise you speak to your doctor or relevant healthcare professional before you start.

You can also find some seated exercises that aim to improve strength, balance and flexibility on the NHS website here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/sitting-exercises/

 

Read more about the benefits of exercise here <Link to Staying active>

Join the conversation about exercise here

 

* https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/research/care-and-cure-research-magazine/exercise-therapy-early-dementia

 

Sources:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/staying-independent/dementia-staying-active-community

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/living-with-dementia/activities/

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/health-wellbeing/mind-body/staying-sharp/

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/exercise/types-ideas

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/exercise/starting

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/

https://www.dementiauk.org/news/moving-for-your-mental-health/

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/