An exercise programme led to a slower decline in activities of daily living in nursing home patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Q In patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in nursing homes, does an exercise programme slow the decline in ability to do activities of daily of living (ADLs)?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded (outcome assessors and {data analysts}*).
Follow up period:
12 months.
Setting:
5 nursing homes in Toulouse, France.
Patients:
134 patients who were 62–103 years of age (mean age 83 y, 75% women), met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for probable or possible AD, had lived in the nursing home for ⩾2 months, and were able to transfer from a chair and walk ⩾6 metres without human assistance. Exclusion criteria were vascular dementia or Parkinson’s disease, surgery in the coming year, cardiac condition …
