The effectiveness of home-based exercise programmes on mobility and functional independence in community-dwelling adults with Alzheimer's disease: a critical review

Background/Aims In the UK, two-thirds of people with dementia are community-dwelling. Guidelines recommend exercise to promote independence among this population, however evidence to support this is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of home-based exercise programmes on mobility and functional independence in people with Alzheimer's disease living in the community. Methods The following electronic databases were searched: AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, SPORTsDiscus, The Cochrane Library, PEDro, OpenGrey and Online Thesis. All included trials were assessed for methodological quality using PEDro bias scores and McMaster's Critical Appraisal Tool and Guideline. English language restrictions were applied. Results A total of seven trials were included within the review. Trial quality was mixed. All trials reported measures for mobility, while five trials included measures of functional independence. Results for the effectiveness of home-based exercise on mobility were mixed, with only two studies reporting significant improvements. Functional independence significantly improved in all trials. Conclusions The effectiveness of home-based exercise programmes on mobility in community-dwelling people with Alzheimer's disease remains inconclusive, while a growing body of evidence indicates its effectiveness in improving functional independence. However, high quality trials are scarce. Larger, randomised, controlled trials specific to this population are thus warranted.