Group activities reduced depressive symptoms among older people with dementia

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/uu-gar050316.php

Public Release: 3-May-2016
Group activities reduced depressive symptoms among older people with dementia
Umea University

Both a high-intensity functional exercise programme and a non-exercise group activity, conducted among older care facility residents with dementia, reduced high levels of depressive symptoms. However, exercise had no superior effect on depression, according to a dissertation from Umeå University.

"Unfortunately, depression is common among older people, especially in people with dementia," says Gustaf Boström, doctoral student at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation and author of the dissertation. "Treatment with antidepressant drugs is often ineffective in older people and people with dementia. In addition, the risk of drug-related side effects increases with higher age and poor health, which is yet another reason to find other treatments."

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