The Power Of PT, Applied To Dementia

By Colleen Parmelee, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist

“Movement is life, life is a process, improve the quality of the process and you improve the quality of life itself”—Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais

You may be wondering what quality of life can a person living with dementia possibly have. Can physical therapy really help?

This is a very common question posed to physical therapists.

This common question actually has a very simple answer. Movement is medicine free from memory: Your patients don’t have to remember exercising to reap the benefits of exercise!

Physical therapy can help during all stages of dementia, from prevention through end-of-life care.

How PT Can Help At Each Stage

Leading a physically-active lifestyle can have an immensely positive impact on the wellbeing of individuals living with dementia. Physical therapy can improve quality of life by advancing both physical and mental health. The benefits of physical activity for people with dementia are far-reaching across all stages of the disease.

During the early-to-mid stages of dementia, physical therapy is vital to promote increased functional independence in daily activities.

People with dementia are at higher risk of falls, hospitalizations and further medical complications due to decreased muscle strength, gait instabilities, decreased balance, and cognitive limitations.

Physical therapy during these stages can focus on specific physical activities that are enjoyable and meaningful to the person to decrease their fall risk while also promoting a sense of purpose, such as playing sports games, gardening, or performing housekeeping activities.

As dementia progresses into the later stages, physical therapy becomes even more imperative to maintain that person’s current abilities while slowing the rate of further functional decline.

During these later stages, a physical therapist can promote improved flexibility to prevent the risk of muscle contractures, practice task-specific activities such as getting in and out of bed and chairs to increase ease of daily mobility, teach pressure relief strategies to promote skin integrity, and provide assessments for assistive device needs.

Beyond The patient

Another important role the physical therapist has is to be an educator and advocate for the person living with dementia and their families. Physical therapists can educate caregivers on home safety ideas, strategies to reduce fall risk, and techniques to improve communication with someone living with dementia.

Encouraging people living with dementia to engage in physical therapy is important to improve functional mobility, increase independence with daily activities, and improve overall wellbeing.

More than just improving physical health, physical therapy creates valuable opportunities for socialization and reduces feelings of isolation. This can benefit not only the individual, but also their caregivers as it can improve confidence, self-esteem, and disposition. The quality of life for someone with dementia must be the central focus of care.

In Closing

So to recap, how can someone with dementia benefit from physical therapy?

Physical therapists can prescribe movement as medicine to those with dementia to enhance the quality of their lives. Physical therapists provide quality, patient-centered care that honors that person and their life history.

Physical therapy takes into account their unique interests to optimize their function and make each additional day the best it can be.