Mindful Living: The Impact of a Healthy Lifestyle on Dementia Prevention
About Dementia
Dementia is a neurological condition that is not considered a normal part of ageing. It’s not a specific disease but rather a broad term used to describe a collection of symptoms that an individual might experience if they were living with a variety of conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, brain injury and more (over 100!).
Mainly associated with older adults over the ages of 65, Dementia can occur in anyone at any age with the effects varying from person to person, however commonly include; memory loss, behaviour change, mood swings, confusion, speech difficulty, and difficulty performing activities of daily living. In Australia, there are currently approximately 421,000 people living with the condition, and is the leading cause of death in women and the 2nd leading cause of death overall.
Living with Dementia
As Dementia is progressive in nature, it is likely symptoms will increase over time, this can occur quickly or over several years, with that said it is normal to experience ‘good days’ and ‘bad days’ with the condition. Dementia severity can be classed in 3 different stages:
Early stage dementia
Experiencing mild symptoms such as feeling anxious in social settings, repeating words, or feeling less motivated. Individuals in this stage are generally still very independent and may not even yet be aware of their diagnosis as they haven’t found their symptoms troubling enough to seek advice.
Middle stage dementia
The changes in your mood, memory, behaviour and thinking are now stronger to the point where you likely need support to help with day to day living. Those in this stage might forget how to complete personal care tasks, become more confused, aggressive and distressed or have difficulty concentrating, reasoning, listening and more.
Late stage dementia
In this stage symptoms are very strong, to the point an individual may have lost the ability to perform personal hygiene tasks or communicate, as well as lose the ability to remember places and peoples names and form new memories. This stage typically requires constant care and supervision, generally in an aged care setting with professional help available.
Prevention, treatment and management of the condition
Whilst there currently is no cure for Dementia there are a number of treatments available and lifestyle changes that can be implemented to help manage and treat the symptoms of the condition.
- Medication can help with some of the symptoms including anxiety, depression and issues with sleep, and can be used to slow the progression of the disease, improving memory, mood and cognitive ability.
- Exercise rehabilitation and Physiotherapy
A healthy body supports a healthy brain- The role of exercise
A recent report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) found significant evidence to support that participating in regular physical activity helps decrease your risk of developing dementia. The research indicates that participating in exercise can help in increasing the size of the hippocampus, or the memory centre for the brain. Additionally, it also aids in improving cognitive function and slowing cognitive decline in older adults.
- Exercise promotes maintenance and growth of brain cells and increases blood flow to the brain.
- Studies show exercise increases areas of the brain that commonly deteriorate with dementia.
- Exercise increases spatial memory and promotes new nerve connections in the brain.
- Exercise promotes an increase in symptom free years for those that have a predisposition to developing dementia.
- Regular exercise reduces the risk factors associated with the development of dementia including metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity in mid life, high blood pressure and depression.
- Slowing or reversing the muscle wasting often associated with advanced Alzheimer’s or dementia
- Improving patients with existing dementia’s mood and depressive symptoms
- Lessening behavioural problems in those with advanced dementia
It is widely known that those who are physically active have a lower risk of developing Dementia and AD than those who are inactive. Starting and maintaining an exercise program is associated with lowered levels of beta amyloid; a protein that forms plaques on the brain and is currently thought to be the main cause of AD. Exercise can benefit individuals who already show signs by improving their quality of life, slowing disease progression, and improving their physical function and health.
It can be difficult to maintain long-term adherence when trying to enact a change in lifestyle and establish a new routine. It is often the case that exercise is the last priority in a busy schedule, particularly when just starting out, however consistency and maintenance to a regular exercise routine is key to turning it into a habit and where optimal health outcomes can be obtained. The earlier the better in the treatment and prevention of dementia. Some simple tips to help include:
- Involve family and friends – exercising with other people is a great way to increase adherence rates and keep you accountable
- Make exercise fun – choosing activities that are enjoyable and interesting to you will help with long term motivation
- Aim for 30 minutes – of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week combining aerobic and resistance training – current research suggest that a combination of exercise regularly is most advantageous for our brain health
If you are worried about yourself or a family member or friend who you think might benefit from understanding more about dementia, or thinking about seeing a doctor for a diagnosis or lifestyle factors to mitigate risk of dementia onset or more, go to the Dementia Australia website for more information.
For advice and information on implementing an exercise regime for those living with dementia, book an appointment with us today!
https://book.nookal.com/bookings/book/C186e9F5-a8a5-EB1B-504d-82Fd82f8Cc54/location
Helpful resources:
Training the Brain: Benefits of Exercise for Dementia
Written By Tasma Wells-Sidler