Dementia Inclusive Exercise Strategies

Overview:

People living with dementia often face considerable personal barriers to exercise (e.g., memory problems, mobility challenges, apathy), which are likely magnified by the stigma of dementia and poor accommodation of their needs.

This course provides education and training to people who deliver or would like to deliver exercise to people living with dementia.

We will review:

1. Myths and realities about dementia
2. How you might identify people living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia in your programs
3. Changes that you can make in your delivery of exercise or in the environment to better accommodate people living with dementia.

Case studies will be used to illustrate recommendations.

Relevance to Physiotherapy Practice:

Identification of effective therapeutic strategies for people living with dementia, and increasing capacity to deliver them, is an important priority of research and care.

Exercise is one of the most promising strategies to promote physical, mental, and social well-being of people living with dementia and is often included in a comprehensive physiotherapy program. Exercise improves physical, mental, and social well-being of persons living with dementia.

Despite these benefits, a small minority of persons with dementia are sufficiently active to meet therapeutic guidelines for exercise.

Increasing the number of clinicians who understand how to engage with and support the needs of people living with dementia could increase the quantity and quality of exercise opportunities available to people living with dementia.

Upon Completing This Course Participants Will Be Able To:

1. Understand and identify people who are living with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
2. Describe the range of abilities and changes experienced by people living with dementia and how to make the most of them.
3. Adapt exercise delivery and environment to the individual living with dementia.
4. Change exercise delivery or environment for a dementia-friendly approach.

Speaker: Dr. Laura Middleton

Laura Middleton is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo and a research scientist at the Schlegel Research Institute for Aging. Her research aims to identify strategies to prevent dementia and promote wellbeing and independence among those living with dementia.

She focuses on the influence of lifestyle, and specifically on the role of exercise alone and in combination with other therapeutic approaches (for example, cognitive training or healthy diet). She partners with people living with dementia, health care professionals, and community service providers to create accessible and effective solutions for people living with dementia in Canadian communities.

One recent project (the ‘Dementia-Inclusive Choices for Exercise’ project) aims to increase the quality and quantity of exercise programs accessible to people living with dementia by improving understanding of dementia, decreasing stigma, and promoting use of inclusive practices.