Researchers at the Karolinska Institute found that physical activity combined with protein drinks can help people with dementia maintain their independence for longer. This is reported by A&D.
The experiment involved 102 residents from eight Stockholm nursing homes. Over the course of 12 weeks, participants in the test group performed standing exercises several times a day and received one to two protein drinks daily. Researchers assessed how much assistance they needed with daily tasks: maintaining hygiene, dressing, and mobility.
The analysis of the overall sample did not show significant differences, but when broken down by types of wards, an interesting result was found: patients from specialized wards for people with dementia showed improved functional abilities.
After three months, these participants required less care than members of the control group. The authors attributed the improvements to a greater potential for recovery of physical function in these patients.
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