Ambulatory but Sedentary: Impact on Cognition and the Rest–Activity Rhythm in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences Vol. 63; no. 5; pp. P279 - P287
• Main Authors: Eggermont, Laura H. P., Scherder, Erik J. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Oxford University Press 01-09-2008; Gerontological Society of America
• Subjects: Activity Cycles; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer's disease; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition; Cognitive functioning; Dementia; Dementia - physiopathology; Dementia - psychology; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Netherlands; Nursing Homes; Older people; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Physical activity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Rest–activity rhythm; Sedentary; Studies; Netherlands; Human; Rest; Actigraphy; Activity; Degenerative disease; Cognition; Ambulatory; Homes for the aged; Sedentary; Elderly; Dementia
• ISSN: 1079-5014; 1758-5368
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/63.5.P279

Physical activity has been positively associated with cognition and the rest–activity rhythm. In the present study, nursing staff classified ambulatory nursing home residents with moderate dementia either as active (n = 42) or as sedentary (n = 34). We assessed the rest–activity rhythm by means of actigraphy, and we administered neuropsychological tests to assess cognitive functioning. Compared with the group that was considered sedentary, the group that was considered active had a significantly better rest–activity rhythm, indicating agreement between nursing staff classifications and data gathered by the actigraph. Cognitive function was related neither to active–sedentary classification nor to actigraph measures. Similar ambulatory nursing home residents with dementia may show considerable differences in their level of daily physical activity and in their rest–activity rhythm, but the precise relationship among all variables requires further investigation.