A rehabilitation program for Alzheimer's disease.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurorehabilitation
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• A tailored rehabilitation program (RP) was developed for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.
• The RP incorporates aerobic, resistance, and balance exercises based on American College of Sports Medicine guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of the RP on physical and functional capacities.
• To evaluate the RP's effect on cognitive functions and quality of life (QOL) in AD patients.

Main Methods:

• A 12-month quasiexperimental study involving 64 participants with AD.
• Assessed cognitive ability (MMSE), fitness (Chair Stand Test), independence (Barthel Index), and QOL (SF-12).
• Statistical analysis included t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-squared tests.

Main Results:

• The RP demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing physical fitness among participants.
• Significant improvements were observed in the quality of life for individuals with mild-to-moderate AD.

Conclusions:

• The RP positively influences physical capacity and QOL in mild-to-moderate AD patients.
• No significant impact was found on cognitive abilities.
• RP serves as a valuable complementary therapy for AD management, benefiting patients and caregivers.