Article

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a home-based exercise
programme for people with Alzheimer's disease, and to provide preliminary
evidence of programme effectiveness in improving balance and mobility and
reducing falls risk. Design:
A randomized controlled trial. Setting: Community.
Participants: Forty people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (mean age
81.9, SD 5.72; 62.5% female). Interventions: Participants were randomized to a
six-month home-based individually tailored balance, strengthening and walking
exercise programme (physiotherapist) or a six-month home-based education
programme (control) (occupational therapist). Both programmes provided six
home-visits and five follow-up phone calls. Main measures: Balance, mobility,
falls and falls risk were measured at baseline and programme completion.
Intention-to-treat analysis using a generalized linear model with group
allocation as a predictor variable was performed to evaluate programme
effectiveness. Feasibility and adverse events were systematically recorded at
each contact. Results: Fifty-eight per cent of the exercise group finished the
programme, completing an average of 83% of prescribed sessions, with no adverse
events reported. Functional Reach improved significantly
(P = 0.002) in the
exercise group (mean (SD), 2.28 (4.36)) compared to the control group (-2.99
(4.87)). Significant improvement was also observed for the Falls Risk for Older
People - Community score
(P = 0.008) and trends for improvement on several other
balance, mobility, falls and falls risk measures for the exercise group compared
to the control group. Conclusions: The exercise programme was feasible and safe
and may help improve balance and mobility performance and reduce falls risk in
people with Alzheimer's disease.

Langue : ANGLAIS