Minds in Motion^®

What is Minds in Motion^®?

Combining physical activity and mental stimulation, Minds in Motion® unfolds to laughter and chatter, with new friendships forming and stories being shared.

Here's what our participants get from Minds in Motion®:

Feedback from our participants:

"Being a part of MIM allows a sense of freedom, self empowerment, and accomplishment."  
-Sault Ste Marie participant

"A unique connection of opportunities for participants and their loved ones".     
-Sault Ste Marie participants!

The participants

• Minds in Motion participants have early to mid-stage signs of dementia and are accompanied by their care partners
• In some circumstances individuals register on their own, please contact us for more information on this option
• A maximum of 11 couples, or 22 participants, enrolled in each eight-week program
• Each pair pays a minimal registration fee (fees may vary by community)

The program

The 2-hour program runs once a week, for 8 weeks, in a community-based program centre, and offers:

• Gentle and easy to follow physical activities
• Fun social activities focused on building personal skills

The program benefits

For the person with dementia:

• Improved balance, mobility, flexibility, and alertness
• Increased confidence, and comfort with their own circumstance
• Mutual support from others facing similar experiences

For the care partners, it’s an opportunity to focus on their own health, and have fun with their partner. Other benefits include:

• Seeing the person they are caring for enjoying themselves
• Mutual support and learning from other care partners

All participants can benefit from:

• Sharpened mental functioning, sometimes lasting 2-3 days.
• Increased sense of social participation

Pilot Findings:

• Participants’ endurance improved by 20% and strength by 15%.
• Participants reported decreased social isolation and an increase in informal networks of support
• 79% of participants continue with physical and social programs after participating
• Close to 100 volunteers and students have been trained and are active in program delivery
• 90% of staff, volunteers and students identified an increase in their dementia knowledge

Give your brain & body a boost!

The Alzheimer Society Minds in Motion® program launches in Brain Awareness Month

"She is challenging herself physically, using those muscles she needs to get out of a chair, to go upstairs." This comment is a tribute to the power of Minds in Motion®, an Alzheimer Society program launching in 12 Ontario communities in March for Brain Awareness Month. Designed for people with early to mid-stage signs of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and their care partners, Minds in Motion incorporates physical activity and mental stimulation as a way of helping people live well with the disease, while encouraging care partners to take care of themselves as well.

If only 10% of currently inactive Ontarians were to become active in accordance with the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, up to 1,200 individuals could decrease their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Less than half of Ontario’s older adults get the recommended 2 ½ hours of physical activity per week, despite growing evidence that mental and social stimulation develop connections between brain cells, which in turn maintains cognitive functions longer. Minds in Motion has built its program incorporating 45 minutes of physical exercise and 45 minutes of mentally stimulating activities.

Minds in Motion was first introduced in 2009 in British Columbia, in response to a need for community-based programming for people with early dementia and their care partners that did not make participants feel marginalized or embarrassed. There are now over 20 programs across BC. Enthusiastic care partners say, "My partner with dementia is clear-headed after the class for 2 or 3 days." People with dementia are just as keen with comments like,"It gets us out of the house. It’s great for our brains. It gets us socializing with other people."

The social aspect of the program is a critical success factor. People with dementia often feel isolated because of the stigma associated with the disease. Minds in Motion promotes an environment that helps participants establish friendships with others who are living similar experiences.

The social aspect of the program is a critical success factor. People with dementia often feel isolated because of the stigma associated with the disease. Minds in Motion promotes an environment that helps participants establish friendships with others who are living similar experiences.

The Alzheimer Society of Ontario is launching the program in collaboration with six local Alzheimer Societies, thanks to start-up funds from the Ontario Brain Institute. Other provincial partners include the Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario and Parks and Recreation Ontario.

To sign-up, volunteer with the program, or learn more, please visit mindsinmotionontario.ca

Brain health

Staying active in the community can help decrease the risk of developing dementia, can delay the onset of dementia, and may slow the disease progression.

What can you do to keep your brain healthy?

The material for this video was created by Dr Sabina Brennan of Trinity College Dublin and Trinity Brain Health with financial support from GENIO © 2017 Permission to use this material was granted by Trinity Brain Health ( trinitybrainhealth.com ) which reserves all rights in the material.

Interested in learning more about brain health? Check out our Facts and Resources page.

Facts & resources

Want to keep your Brain healthy?

Staying active in the community has many benefits for your brain health. It can help decrease the risk of developing dementia, can delay the onset of dementia, and may slow the disease progression. Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend all adults (18 and older) should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, in bouts of at least 10 minutes.

• Download the Alzheimer Society Fact Sheet: Dementia in Ontario
• Download the Alzheimer Society Fact Sheet: On your way to brain health
• Get the facts: Download the brochure
• Keep track: Download the Calendar 

Ontario Brain Institute Resources: Boost Your Brain and Body Power, Physical Activity and Alzheimer’s Disease

Another great resource from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology: Guidelines for exercise, by age groups

Physical activity guidelines

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend all adults (18 and older) should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, in bouts of at least 10 minutes.

Choose an activity that makes you breathe harder and sweat a little to help reduce the risk of chronic disease. Consider:

• Gardening that including digging, shoveling and pushing the lawn mower can be a great aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
• Social dancing provides a great brain-health mix, including socializing, moving and challenging your brain with new cha cha, waltz or meringue combination steps!
• Doing it with a friend to help you stay motivated.
• Always checking with your doctor if you have specific health concerns.

Because Minds in Motion is being offered in community recreation centres, older adult centres or similar community-based multi-service organizations, participants will be introduced to additional recreational opportunities which could also help them meet the recommended 2 ½ hours.

Did you know: When blood circulates to the brain, it nourishes the cells with nutrients and oxygen, and it encourages the development of new cells and new connections. This is called “plasticity,” and it’s a process the brain is capable of doing at any age!

Join Us

Minds in Motion is a program intended for people with early to mid-stage signs of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and their care partners. However, individuals are welcome to join on their own as well!

Three ways you can get involved with Minds in Motion:

1. Become a participant
Join Minds in Motion in Algoma and Sault Ste. Marie for upcoming sessions. New session dates will run from September to June. Please contact us for details.

Upon sign-up, participants will be asked a few questions to ensure the program is the right fit for them. Participant couples will pay a fee of $40 for participation in the full eight week program (fees may vary across regions). Become a participant today!

2. Become a program delivery partner
Are you a recreational service provider and want to offer your services to Minds in Motion? Get in touch with us today to find how you can help. 

3. Volunteer!
Are you looking for a fun and interactive opportunity to give back to your community? Minds in Motion is a great program to volunteer your time for. Make a difference in your community and join our team today!