Background: Dementia involves the loss of cognitive abilities and represents a decline from the prior level of function, which impairs functional abilities in day-to-day life. The purpose of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of an exercise program on the muscle strength and range of motion of the upper limbs, the functional status, and the depression of elderly people with early stage dementia. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 elderly people with early stage dementia who were randomly divided into a control and an experimental group of 30 participants each. The experimental group received a 12-week Otago exercise program with 45 min duration of each session. The control group received usual care without doing exercise. The outcome measures of muscle strength and range of motion of the upper limbs, the functional status, and the depression were assessed by valid instruments and tests at the beginning and at the end of the intervention program. Repeated measures one-way ANOVA and Mann–Whitney tests examined the differences between the two groups at the end of the 12-week exercise program. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in the entire outcome measures (functional ability F = 9.35 p < 0.05; muscle strength right hand F = 32.33, p < 0.05 left hand U = 95.50 p < 0.01; e.g., range of motion shoulder extension U = 104.00 p < 0.01), except depression. Conclusions: Both muscle strength and range of motion of the upper limbs, as well as the functional ability, were improved by the exercise program. Further research is needed to investigate the present results, in particular to explore the long-term cognitive, behavioral, and functional status outcomes of exercise in the early stages of dementia.

Progressive supranuclear palsy is a form of atypical Parkinsonism. People living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy have various symptoms, such as movement and cognitive disorders, which mainly affect balance and functional ability with an increased risk of falls, dexterity, and dementia. The role of exercise at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an exercise program at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy. A patient with a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy within the past year followed a supervised 12-week exercise program (two times per week) by a physiotherapist, with a session lasting about 40 min at a private physiotherapy clinic. Functional status, balance, quality of life, anxiety, and depression were assessed four times with valid instruments and tests. The results from the timed-up-and-go test demonstrated an improvement in performance (MCID value = 3.4). Improvements were observed in the scores of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (MCID value = 0.6). Finally, an improvement was reported in the score of the anxiety factor of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (MCID value = 1.5). Physiotherapy appears to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and mental health. Further research is needed to confirm these results with a large sample size in combination with other complementary therapies such as mental imagery.

(1) Background: Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease which mainly affects the elderly. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength and cognitive ability in a geriatric population with early-stage dementia. There are only a few studies that associate handgrip strength with cognitive ability in a population with early-stage dementia. (2) Methods: The present study consists of a sample of 60 individuals with early-stage dementia and was conducted at the Alzheimer’s Association of Athens. Participants’ ages ranged from 65 to 93 years (M = 80 years, SD = 6.05). Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria of the sample were defined. Handgrip strength was assessed using a digital handheld dynamometer, while cognitive ability was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination Test (MMSE). (3) Results: Descriptive statistics showed that the mean handgrip strength of the dominant upper limb was 144.45 ± 50.47 Newtons, and the mean cognitive score was M = 21.75 (SD = 1.97) (0–30 points). In a multivariable regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and education, handgrip strength was not significantly associated with MMSE score (B = 0.056, 95% CI: −0.054 to 0.166, p = 0.314). (4) Discussion: There are few studies that correlate cognitive ability with handgrip strength in a population with early-stage dementia; thus, further studies are needed to investigate the present results, possibly with a larger sample size or using different cognitive function measurement tools. (5) Conclusions: Handgrip strength may appear not to be associated with cognitive ability when elderly patients are in early-stage dementia. More research should be conducted to confirm the present findings.