Study shows benefits of physical and cognitive play in dementia patients
Elderly participants who trained regularly on a fitness device developed by a Swiss company showed improvements in cognitive skills, such as attention, concentration, memory and orientation.
The study, carried out by an international team in two Belgian care homes, relied on a fitness game, known as “Exergame”, developed by a spin-off of the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
“It has been suspected for some time that physical and cognitive training […] has a positive effect on dementia,” said research supervisor Eling de Bruin, an ETH Zurich researcher and a co-founder of the spin-off Dividat. “However, in the past it has been difficult to motivate dementia patients to undertake physical activity over extended periods.”
About half of the 45 participants, whose average age was 85 and who all displayed serious symptoms of dementia, trained for 15 minutes three times a week on the Dividat exercise device, Senso. Residents in the control group watched music videos of their choice.
Senso consists of a screen and a floor panel that measures steps, weight displacement and balance as users attempt to complete a sequence of movements shown on the screen. The fun fitness exercises train physical and cognitive functions simultaneously and motivate patients to get involved.
After eight weeks, the researchers measured the physical, cognitive and mental capacity of all participants and found that those who trained on Senso showed improvements in both cognitive and physical skills, such as reaction time. Conversely, members of the control group showed deterioration in the same period.
“For the first time, there’s hope that, through targeted play, we will be able not only to delay but also weaken the symptoms of dementia,” said de Bruin.
The results, which de Bruin’s team hope to replicate with people with mild cognitive impairment (a precursor of dementia), are published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
This content was published on
Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
Migration: Swiss government wants to shorten reunification period for families
This content was published on
Family members of people temporarily admitted to Switzerland should in future be able to join them after two years instead of three.
This content was published on
2023 was a record year for the Rhaetian Railway in several respects. Never before has the narrow-gauge railway in Graubünden, eastern Switzerland, transported so many passengers and cars.
Swiss CFOs much more optimistic despite global uncertainty
This content was published on
The main concerns of business leaders in Switzerland are geopolitical uncertainty and the important trading partners Germany and China.
Record organ donation in Switzerland despite high rejection rates
This content was published on
More organ donations were recorded in Switzerland in 2023 than ever before. This was despite a high rejection rate of 58% by surviving relatives.
This content was published on
Seven years after the death of record-breaking Swiss mountain climber Ueli Steck, his estate is going to the Alpine Museum of Switzerland in Bern.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
A special kind of home for people with dementia
This content was published on
Around 150,000 people have dementia in Switzerland, with the figure set to double in the next 20 years. What's the best way to care for these people?
Ageing population threatens Swiss prosperity, study warns
This content was published on
The median age of the Swiss population has risen to 43 compared to 32 in 1970. By 2060 this will rise further to 48-years-old going by current fertility rates. Increasing immigration would have little effect on this trend, SecoExternal link states in a series of studiesExternal link. The government department has urged politicians to find…
Overuse of sleeping pills among the elderly raises concerns
This content was published on
The consumption of sleeping pills among elderly people in Switzerland is worryingly high, especially among women, a new study concludes.
Zurich to open Switzerland’s first LGBTI elder care homes
This content was published on
Zurich is gearing up to open apartments and nursing homes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex elderly people by 2025.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.