A recent study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet suggests that combining daily physical exercise with protein-rich nutritional drinks may benefit people with dementia. The research, published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia, found that participants not only improved their physical abilities but also showed signs of increased independence in daily tasks after three months.
The study involved 102 residents from eight nursing homes in Stockholm. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to perform standing exercises several times a day and consume one or two protein-enriched nutritional drinks daily over a twelve-week period. Researchers tracked how much assistance participants needed with activities such as personal hygiene, dressing, and mobility.
Initial analysis of all residents did not reveal significant differences between those who followed the program and those who did not. However, when data was separated by ward type, improvements became apparent among residents in dementia wards. Those who participated in the program required less care time compared to their peers in the control group.
The researchers noted that earlier interviews from related studies suggest that better physical function can influence the level of support individuals need for various activities. They cautioned that these findings are based on secondary analyses and should be interpreted carefully.
"More studies are needed where care time is a primary outcome and where organizational factors, such as staffing levels and work routines, are closely monitored," said Anders Wimo.
The research team included members from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholms Sjukhem. Funding was provided by the Gamla Tjänarinnor Foundation and Danone Nutricia Research. Danone Nutricia Research supplied the nutritional drinks but was not involved in data collection or final analysis. The authors stated they have no competing interests except for one author holding copyright on a measurement tool used in the study.
