Regular physical activity can help those with Alzheimer’s disease
You’ve undoubtedly heard that regular exercise can help prevent all sorts of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. But did you know that it can help after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, too?
According to the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50% and can also slow deterioration for those who have already begun to develop cognitive problems.
It’s one of the reasons that continued exercise after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is important.
Hilltop Of Greenville Memory Care, a standalone memory care community, actually makes exercise part of their program for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
“We offer a variety of exercises that change day by day, based on what the residents in each of our buildings would like,” says Nick Jasmon of American Healthcare Management LP, the company that manages Hilltop Of Greenville. “At Hilltop, specifically, they have a walking club, and we have outdoor time where they are allowed to go garden and relax. We also do morning exercises and stretching, and we even have music where they can get up to dance if they’re able to.”
Jasmon says Hilltop of Greenville even makes exercise part of their mealtimes.
“Every day, every meal,” he says, “we have a ‘walk-to-breakfast, lunch or dinner’ club, where even if residents are wheelchair-bound, we have them get up with assistance and walk to dinner instead of just being pushed along in their walkers or wheelchairs. It’s the kind of place where we give them that kind of freedom to get up and get a little bit of activity.”
In a community like Hilltop of Greenville, physical activity can have multi-layered benefits.
“If they’re not moving, we’re going to have to increase the amount of care,” Jasmon says, “and they could potentially decline. If we can get them moving, the more we can do that, the better it’s going to be for their long-term health.”
And among Alzheimer’s-affected seniors in communities like Hilltop of Greenville, physical activity can also help forge friendships.
“It’s the same reason we call all of our buildings ‘communities,’” Jasmon says. “We want the residents to get that social interaction so they can actually enjoy where they live. No matter which way you cut it, it’s not ideal to have to move into a memory care community. So we like to create the most positive atmosphere possible for our residents, and group exercise is a great way to do that.”
