The game of pingpong may have some positive effects for individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease , according to the Los Angeles Times.Mikhail Zaretsky, who was a pingpong champion in Belarus, opened a clinic in Los Angeles where Alzheimer's and dementia patients have been learning and playing the game. He believes it helps their alertness, coordination and balance, according to the news provider.
People who are involved with Alzheimer's care have seen some positive effects from the game, even though nothing has been proven yet, according to the media outlet.
"He feels a difference," Daniel Plotkin, a geriatric psychiatrist told the news source of one of his patients. "He likes how he's stroking the ball. He's a little more confident the rest of the day. He gets a kick out of his instructor. It may well be helpful, in terms of engagement and structure, in some mysterious way we don't understand."
According to the Alzheimer's Association, approximately one in eight older Americans have been diagnosed with the illness.
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