Practicing everyday skills through play can help people with Alzheimer’s disease maintain their independence in certain tasks for longer.
In fact, cognitive-motor practice (the route between mental process and movement) can maintain and even improve several components of movement, such as its speed, fluidity and precision (Jin H., 2006). What’s more, the targeted practice of certain movements also has the effect of strengthening a person’s physical structures, such as joints and muscles.
For seniors, working on pollici-digital and global holds is highly relevant, as it will enable them to retain their abilities in certain everyday activities for longer.
Princer grasp
Practising pincer grasp (opposing the thumb and other fingers) may enable a person to increase their period of autonomy when:
Palmar grasp
Practising palmar grasp (in the palm of the hand) may enable the same person to:
Some scientific facts
Numerous studies demonstrate the link between exercise and the maintenance/improvement of motor function. In her publication on the National Library of Medicine, Laís Fajersztajn, physiotherapist and specialist in gerontological rehabilitation, states that “functional exercise can work muscle groups at the same time and in an integrated fashion, especially for daily functional activity movements” (Fajersztajn, 2008). According to her, not only does motor improvement have an impact, but boosting self-confidence during movement also plays an important role in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Going even further: a study by Wang and colleagues demonstrates the link between exercise and a lower risk of developing a type of dementia. According to their observations over a period of more than six years, this prevention can be explained by a more frequent connection between cognitive and motor functions (Wang, 2006).
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
Wang L, Larson EB, Bowen JD, VanBelle G. (2006) Performance-based physical function and future dementia in older people. Arch Intern Med. 166:1115–1120.
Fajersztajn L, Cordeiro RC, Andreoni S, Garcia JT. (2008) Effects of functional physical activity on the maintenance of motor function in Alzheimer’s disease. Dement Neuropsychology. 233-240. doi: 10.1590/S1980-57642009DN20300013. PMID: 29213577; PMCID: PMC5619472.
Jin H. Yan & Malcolm B. Dick (2006) Practice Effects on Motor Control in Healthy Seniors and Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 13:3-4, 385-410, DOI: 10.1080/138255890969609