Older people with mild cognitive impairment may benefit from a new type of exercise that mimics real-life work. Researchers in Queensland, Australia, developed a 10-week program to provide mental stimulation and physical exercise that they call Functional Task Simulation. It involves very specific movement patterns used in placing and collecting dishes on a table.
The investigators recruited 83 individuals between 60 and 88 years of age. All had mild cognitive impairment. They were randomly assigned to the exercise program or pencil and paper assignments for 10 weeks.
After 12 weeks, those who had participated in the functional simulation exercises did significantly better than at baseline on tests of memory, cognitive function and problem solving. The control group improved their test scores as well, but not nearly as much. This pilot program is encouraging and should be followed up with further research.
At The People’s Pharmacy, we hope to continue with our everyday tasks (including setting the table) into our older years. Perhaps that will help us stave off cognitive decline. If not, we hope the Australian researchers will inspire others to develop their innovative exercise program further, so we can follow it and stay as sharp as possible.