The objective of this master’s thesis is to test the effectiveness of a combined, individually tailored 12-week exercise programme to improve physical fitness and cognitive functions in a female patient with Alzheimer’s disease. The first part of the thesis, based on the reviewed literature, presents what dementia is, defines the course and onset of Alzheimer’s disease, explains the functioning of cognitive functions, the impact of physical activity on cognition and physical fitness, and the components that need to be considered when designing an exercise programme. The second part of the thesis presents the 12-week exercise programme that included one participant. The goals of the physical intervention were the following: (1) to prepare a 12-week exercise programme for a participant with Alzheimer’s disease, (2) to determine the impact of the exercise programme on her cognitive functions, (3) to determine the impact of the exercise programme on improving her physical fitness. Our hypothesis was that the physical intervention would be successful and would lead to improvements in both areas. To assess the achievements of the objectives, selected tests from the Senior Fitness Test battery were used to measure physical fitness, and the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment were used to assess cognitive functions. The 12-week exercise programme was composed of an aerobic section that consisted of brisk walking, which the participant performed for 150 minutes per week, and full-body strength exercises, which she performed twice a week. The analysis of the results reveals improvements in both physical fitness and cognition, the most significant improvement being in executive functioning. Moreover, physical exercise had a positive impact on the participant’s overall well-being.
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