Oak Ridge Today

Regular exercise can help people with Alzheimer’s

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The benefits of regular exercise in people with Alzheimer’s disease include maintenance of motor skills, decreased falls, and reduced rate of functional decline. Improved behavior, improved memory, and better communication skills are a few other benefits associated with routine exercise programs in Alzheimer’s disease.

Physical therapy plays an important role in exercise for patients with Alzheimer’s disease by tailoring routines to meet the individual needs of each patient.

Researchers have found that patients who were treated with exercise showed less depression than those in the control groups and showed marked improvements in physical functioning. Here are some examples of exercises to start:

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Dr. Monica Crane will discuss Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday at Courtyards Senior Living

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Dr. Monica Crane

Dr. Monica Crane

 

Dr. Monica Crane, a fellowship-trained geriatric medicine physician with special expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, will discuss “How to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, at The Courtyards Senior Living.

The public is invited to meet Dr. Crane, the new medical director for The Courtyards, and to attend the talk at the senior living facility at 300 Briarcliff Avenue in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

On April 1, Dr. Crane became medical director for The Courtyards Senior Living, which operates assisted living and dedicated memory care facilities in Oak Ridge, Knoxville, and Johnson City. She will present informative talks on aging at The Courtyards on a regular basis, the press release said.

She is also the medical director and founder of Genesis Neuroscience Clinic in Knoxville, which opened in April. The clinic, at 1400 Dowell Springs Boulevard, provides comprehensive evaluation, treatment, and clinical trial opportunities for those with cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative dementias, the release said. [Read more…]

Genesis Brain Health Institute to open in September

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Mike Mursten, left, and Andrew Dougherty are co-founders of the Genesis Brain Health Institute. (Submitted photo)

Mike Mursten, left, and Andrew Dougherty are co-founders of the Genesis Brain Health Institute. (Submitted photo)

 

Andrew Dougherty and Mike Mursten, two men who share a passion to combat Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, have founded the Genesis Brain Health Institute to offer a medically based program aimed at baby boomers that has been shown to delay, and in some cases even reverse, cognitive decline.

“Current medical studies have conclusively shown that a lifestyle of exercise, proper nutrition, brain utilization, and stress management can delay the onset of cognitive decline,” said Andrew Dougherty, co-founder and president of Genesis.

With current science on the brain and memory loss as their guide, they are offering a multi-faceted program beginning in September in the Provision Wellness building in Knoxville, the first such program in East Tennessee. Beginning with a complete medical assessment, the program includes an educational series on topics critical to brain health.

“What we have found is that baby boomers do have general knowledge about health and wellness, but lack the specific knowledge and tools to implement it into their daily lives,” said Mike Mursten, co-founder and chief executive officer. “The Genesis program is a practical, medically based program to give you the tools to fill your tool box.” [Read more…]