Research in context
Alzheimer’s disease, dementia
Numerous reviews of non-drug interventions in dementia have been published. Evidence that exercise and physical activity can improve activities of daily living for people with dementia is inconclusive. A Cochrane review found no high quality evidence.Some adequately powered and high quality individual trials have been performed. One trial of prolonged (12 months) and intensive (one hour twice a week), physiotherapist supervised, home exercise for people with Alzheimer’s disease found a substantial reduction in rate of loss of activities of daily living abilities and halved the rate of falling.