Community-Based Exercise and Cognitive Decline

Physical activity is recognized as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone - regardless of age, disability, or disease. Due to the large aging population, the community-based group exercise instructors will host more older adults in their classes. Age is a primary risk factor for many forms of cognitive decline, including Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia. Therefore, the community-based group exercise instructor must be better educated on including those with cognitive decline in their exercise classes. For this project, an online evidence-based presentation was developed to educate the community-based group exercise instructor on including those living with cognitive decline in their classes. Education about including caregivers of those with cognitive decline was also included. This presentation included five best practices for including those with cognitive decline and their caregivers. After viewing the survey, the participants completed an online survey that used a mixed methods approach. Purposive and snowball non-probability sampling was used to recruit participants for this project, and 17 people participated. Participants were experienced instructors with nationally recognized fitness certifications. All participants responded positively to the questions about applicability, ease of implementation, preparedness, and intentions to use the information supplied in the presentation. Research exploring the community-based group exercise instructor and the inclusion of those with cognitive decline in their classes is limited; therefore, the results of this study are unique. Implications from this project suggest that education for the community-based group exercise instructor on including those living with cognitive decline is well-received, needed and valued.