Small Movements Can Have Big Impact

This April, our occupational therapist Calli Carlson will lead an in-depth workshop on mobility.  She’ll share ways to improve safety and reduce risk of falls for persons living with dementia. We asked Calli about what it takes for someone living with dementia to maintain or even improve mobility.

Q: Why does mobility become an issue for people living with dementia?

CC: Our brain is responsible for countless complex functions, one of which is coordinating movement. Different sensory and motor areas work together to help us interpret information and respond to our surroundings. When an individual is diagnosed with dementia, these areas begin to change, leading individuals to have difficulty coordinating movements, processing obstacles in their environment, or understanding the distance between objects. These changes can increase the risk of falls or cause individuals to become increasingly fearful of falling.

Q: What helps?

CC: Dementia is a brain disease that we can't change, but we can still help people get stronger and improve their balance. I am a big proponent of exercise and balance training. With those two things alone, we can get people to the point where they have a reduced risk of falling. I want people to know, even in the face of this difficult diagnosis, there are real steps that will make living with dementia better. It's empowering for people to know that they can take action to make their person safer and to make mobility easier.

Q: How is your exercise class, Tone Up Tuesday, geared towards this?

CC: All exercises in Tone Up Tuesday are completed in a chair, so anyone can participate. We target upper body strength, core strength and lower body strength.  The workouts are designed to improve muscle strength and help with the functional things that we need to do every day, such as getting out of bed in the morning, standing from a chair, walking, or getting into a car.

Q: These are often small movements, can they make a difference?

CC: Great question. On the surface, it may look like we're doing simple things; like we're just tapping our toes or we're patting our legs, or we're reaching towards the ceiling. But all of these movements are designed to target the different muscles in our body to help build strength and balance. I think sometimes it's hard to connect it, that these small things that we’re doing will impact us functionally. However, I’ve seen the outcomes of clients who have participated in these exercises, they become stronger and reduce their fall risk, and it really gives me a different perspective. It’s encouraging when you see the positive impact.

Tone Up Tuesday is offered at no cost on the campus, every Tuesday from 1–2 p.m.