Leisure-time physical activity and neuropsychiatric symptoms of community-dwelling persons with cognitive impairment

Yi-Chen Chiu; Ann M Kolanowski; Chien-Ying Huang; Li-Jung Lin; Ting-Huan Chang; Kuang-Hung Hsu; Chaur-Jong Hu; Ying-Jen Chen

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2014.03.006

Leisure-time physical activity and neuropsychiatric symptoms of community-dwelling persons with cognitive impairment

Geriatr Nurs. 2014 Sep-Oct;35(5):345-50. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2014.03.006. Epub 2014 May 13.

Authors

Yi-Chen Chiu¹, Ann M Kolanowski², Chien-Ying Huang³, Li-Jung Lin⁴, Ting-Huan Chang⁵, Kuang-Hung Hsu⁶, Chaur-Jong Hu⁷, Ying-Jen Chen⁸

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: yulandac@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
² College of Nursing and Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA.
³ School of Nursing, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
⁴ Graduate Institute of Sports and Leisure Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ School of Health Policy and Management, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁶ Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Department of Health Care Management, College of Management, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

PMID: 24836581
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2014.03.006

Abstract

Physical activities are recommended to reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms of nursing home residents with mild dementia. However, relevant information is not available for community-dwelling persons with cognitive impairment. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the effects of leisure-time physical activities on cognitively impaired persons' neuropsychiatric symptoms and their family caregivers' distress. Activities were described in terms of their frequency, duration, number of different types, and energy expenditure. Participants were 58 dyads of persons with cognitive impairment and their family caregivers. Data on leisure-time physical activities and neuropsychiatric symptoms were collected using a 7-Day Physical Activity Recall and Chinese Neuropsychiatric Inventory, respectively. The most frequently reported activity was strolling (70.7%). The mean weekly activity frequency, duration, and energy expenditure were 4.52 (SD=4.27) times, 3.7 (SD=4.38) h, and 771.47 (SD=886.38) kcal, respectively. The number of different activity types negatively and significantly predicted cognitively impaired persons' mood and psychosis as well as family caregivers' distress.

Keywords: Cognitive impairment; Duration; Energy expenditure; Family caregiver distress; Frequency; Leisure-time physical activity; Type.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
Cognition Disorders / psychology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Motor Activity*