Angela K. Troyer, PhD, CPsych, Department of Psychology, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, ON.
Kelly J. Murphy, PhD, CPsych, Department of Psychology, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, ON.
Functional decline in dementia causes increased dependence on others and negatively impacts quality of life. Emerging evidence indicates that functional debility can be delayed or minimized by promoting an active lifestyle and using memory strategies. Older adults with active lifestyles maintain higher cognitive abilities and have reduced risks of developing dementia. Furthermore, individuals with dementia show improved cognitive and functional abilities following participation in physically and mentally stimulating activities. Memory strategy application can improve situation-specific memory performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, and has been shown to positively impact perceptions of well-being and functional ability in these individuals.
Key words: active lifestyle, dementia, memory intervention, mild cognitive impairment, rehabilitation.
