Effect of Exercise on Behavioral Symptoms and Pain in Patients With Dementia Living in Nursing Homes.

Examine the effects of a 6-month exercise intervention on neuropsychiatric symptoms, pain, and medication consumption in older people with dementia (PWD) living in nursing homes (NH). Ninety-one older PWD living in NH performed a 6-month structured exercise intervention (n = 44) or a social activity intervention (n = 47). Neuropsychiatric symptoms were measured by the neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI), pain was assessed using the Algoplus scale, and dementia-related drug prescriptions were obtained for all participants. Between-group analysis found a nonsignificant difference that could be of clinical relevance: a 4-point difference in the NPI and 1.3-point difference in the reduction of the number of medications favoring exercisers. No significant differences were found for pain, and a trend was found for an increase in medication consumption in the social group. Exercise effects did not differ from social intervention effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms, pain, and medication consumption in older PWD living in NH.