Cycling together with dementia

Did you know that 1 in 5 people get dementia? The chance of women getting dementia is even bigger: 1 in 3 women gets dementia during her lifetime. With this disease, the brain can no longer process information properly, causing memory problems, among other things. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, there are no medicines for dementia yet, but there are medicines that can delay the disease. Research has proven that sufficient exercise is important for people with dementia. Read in this article how cycling with dementia is an option with the special needs bikes from Van Raam.

Cycling with dementia
Memory problems with dementia

What is dementia?

The foundation 'Stichting Alzheimer Nederland' describes dementia as follows: Dementia is the name for a combination of symptoms (a syndrome) in which the brain can no longer process information properly. Dementia is a collective name for more than fifty diseases. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. In addition, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Lewy body dementia are common.

The prognosis of patients with dementia differs. For some people, the decline of the brain goes very fast, others can live a reasonable life for years. During the beginning of the disease, the patient has memory problems. Later on, thinking and language problems can arise and changes in behavior and character can also occur.

At this moment, there is no medicine for Alzheimer's disease or against other forms of dementia. There are medicines that can possibly delay the progress of the disease. Fortunately, much research is still being done worldwide in the field of this disease.

Cycling with dementia
Cycling together with dementia on a Van Raam side-by-side tandem

Cycling together during World Alzheimer's day

In september it is World Alzheimer's month, the theme for World Alzheimer's Month 2019 will be raising awareness and challenging stigma. On Saturday, September 21, 2019, it is World Alzheimer's Day. The theme in the Netherlands this year is 'move together'. Research has shown that exercise is good for people with dementia. Moving ensures that the mental deterioration slows down. You improve your thinking skills, restlessness, passivity and your blood circulation with exercise. On Monday, September 21, 2020, it is World Alzheimer's Day. The theme in the Netherlands this year is 'Young and Old'.

Our multi-person bikes offer people the opportunity to move together. With the Van Raam Fun2Go side-by-side tandem you can sit comfortably next to each other while enjoying a great bike ride. Because you sit next to each other, the supervisor can keep a close eye on the co-driver and assess whether he / she is still having fun or is tired. If the co-driver gets tired, the foot plate/step option can also be used or the Fun2Go side-by-side tandem can be put in another position, so that the co-driver doesn't havo to pedal along. In this way, the caregiver and patient can enjoy a carefree bicycle ride and the person with dementia gets enough exercise at the same time. Take a pleasant day out, for example, and stop in between for a cup of coffee, with a piece of cake.

Read more about the Fun2Go side-by-side tandem on the product page of this bike.

Fun2Go product page
fietsmaatjes with a Van Raam side-by-side tandem trike

'Fietsmaatjes' are committed to people with dementia

Despite the fact that there is no treatment yet to stop dementia, a lot of attention is being asked for the disease and there is worldwide research into dementia. A foundation that gives attention to dementia and movement/cycling in combination with each other is 'Fietsmaatjes'. 'Fietsmaatjes' is for people who like to go out on a bike but because of a disability they are no longer able to go independently. 'Fietmaatjes', translated as bike buddies, cycle on clear blue side-by-side tandems with a sign with their logo on the back of the bike.

Approximately 25 duos of 'Fietsmaatjes' will participate in a "star-shaped" bicycle tour from Leiden, Leiderdorp, Zoeterwoude, Teylingen, Voorschoten, Oegstgeest, Voorschoten, Alphen aan den Rijn, Noordwijk and Hillegom (cities in the Netherlands) on World Alzheimer Day 2019.
 
Some of the current guests of 'Fietsmaatjes' have memory problems and already regularly make a bike ride with a volunteer from 'Fietsmaatjes' on a side-by-side tandem with pedal support.

cycling with a brain disorder

Cycling with a brain disorder

In addition to Alzheimer's brain disease, there are more brain diseases that make moving and cycling on a traditional bike with two wheels difficult. In the article "Cycling with a brain disorder" you can read what Van Raam can do for people with a brain disorder and which bicycles are suitable for different diseases.

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