Cheng, Sheung-Tak, Chow, Pizza K., Yu, Edwin C.S., Chan, Alfred C.M.

Objectives: : To examine whether leisure activities can alleviate depressive symptoms among nursing home residents with very mild to mild dementia.; Methods: : A cluster-randomized open-label controlled design. Thirty-six residents with at least moderate depressive symptoms were randomized by home into three conditions-mahjong (a.k.a. mah-jongg), tai chi, and handicrafts (placebo). Activities were conducted three times […]

Lam, Linda C. W., Chau, Rachel C. M., Wong, Billy M. L., Fung, Ada W. T., Tam, Cindy W. C., Leung, Grace T. Y., Kwok, Timothy C. Y., Leung, Tony Y. S., Ng, Sammy P., Chan, Wai M.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of Chinese-style mind-body exercise (24 forms simplified Tai Chi) versus stretching and toning exercise in the maintenance of cognitive abilities in Chinese elders at risk of cognitive decline.; Design: A 1-year single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial.; Settings: Community centers and residential homes for elders in Hong Kong.; Participants: A total […]

Barnes, D. E., Mehling, W., Wu, E., Beristianos, M., Yaffe, K., Skultety, K., Chesney, M. A.

BACKGROUND: Current dementia medications have small effect sizes, many adverse effects and do not change the disease course. Therefore, it is critically important to study alternative treatment strategies. The goal of this study was to pilot-test a novel, integrative group exercise program for individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia called Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIE), […]

Wu, E., Barnes, D. E., Ackerman, S. L., Lee, J., Chesney, M., Mehling, W. E.

OBJECTIVES: Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIE) is a novel, integrative exercise program for individuals with dementia that combines elements of different conventional and complementary exercise modalities (e.g. tai-chi, yoga, Feldenkrais, and dance movement therapy) and focuses on training procedural memory for basic functional movements (e.g., sit-to-stand) while increasing mindful body awareness and facilitating […]

Cheng, S. T., Chow, P. K., Song, Y. Q., Yu, E. C., Lam, J. H.

BACKGROUND: To examine the effects of complex cognitive (mahjong) and physical (Tai Chi) activities on dementia severity in nursing home residents with dementia. METHODS: Cluster-randomized open-label controlled design. 110 residents were randomized by nursing home into three conditions: mahjong, Tai Chi, and simple handicrafts (control). Activities were conducted three times a week for 12 weeks. […]

Tsai, Pao-Feng, Chang, Jason Y., Beck, Cornelia, Kuo, Yong-Fang, Keefe, Francis J.

Context: Because Tai Chi (TC) is beneficial to elders without cognitive impairment (CI), it also may benefit elders with CI. But elders with CI have generally been excluded from TC studies because many measurement tools require verbal reports that some elders with CI are unable to provide.; Objectives: To test the efficacy of a TC […]

Cheng, Sheung-Tak, Chow, Pizza K., Song, You-Qiang, Yu, Edwin C.S., Chan, Alfred C.M., Lee, Tatia M.C., Lam, John H.M.

Objectives: To examine the effects of cognitive stimulation (mahjong) and physical exercise (tai chi [TC]) on cognitive performance in persons with dementia.; Design: Cluster-randomized open-label controlled design.; Setting: Nursing homes.; Participants: One hundred ten residents, most of whom were cholinesterase-inhibitor naive. Inclusion criteria were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) = 10-24 and suffering from at least very mild […]