ACE Alzheimer's Fitness Specialist study plan
ACE Alzheimer's Fitness Specialist · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Fundamentals
Define dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and the major dementia subtypes in your own words
Differentiate the three stages of Alzheimer's disease by cognitive and functional markers
Explain the difference between normal age-related change and pathological cognitive decline
Map the 25% domain weighting onto a personal study calendar
Your checkpoint
A one-page glossary plus a stage-comparison table with at least 10 correctly defined terms
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Fundamentals
Describe the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease at a high level
Identify common behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and their triggers
List safety considerations that affect exercise participation across disease stages
Self-quiz on domain 1 until you reach 85% accuracy
Your checkpoint
A 20-question self-quiz with answer key and a logged score of 85% or higher
Assessment and Programming Considerations for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease
Conduct and document a pre-participation screen adapted to cognitive impairment
Select and justify stage-appropriate fitness assessments for aerobic capacity, strength, balance, and function
Interpret assessment results to set realistic, person-centered goals
Identify contraindications and red flags that require medical clearance
Your checkpoint
A completed mock assessment packet for a fictional client, including interpretation and goal statements
Assessment and Programming Considerations for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease & Exercise Design and Progression for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease
Draft an 8-week individualized program for an early-stage client
Apply FITT-VP principles to a client with moderate-stage Alzheimer's disease
Sequence a single session to account for fatigue, confusion, and attention limits
Compare programming modifications across the three disease stages
Your checkpoint
Two full 8-week program templates (early stage and moderate stage) with session-by-session detail
Exercise Design and Progression for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease
Design safe progressions and regressions for each major movement pattern
Build a dual-task and cognitive-motor training component into a session plan
Apply fall-prevention and balance-training principles to at-risk clients
Set progression criteria based on observable performance, not adherence alone
Your checkpoint
A progression/regression matrix covering at least 6 exercises with explicit decision criteria
Exercise Design and Progression for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease & Behavioral Support, Communication, and Caregiver Collaboration
Write a session script using person-first, short-sentence communication
Demonstrate at least 5 de-escalation and redirection techniques for common behavioral challenges
Adapt instruction for hearing, vision, and processing-speed changes
Practice modifying cues in real time when a client does not follow directions
Your checkpoint
A cue-and-response script library of 15 phrases mapped to specific behaviors, rehearsed aloud and timed
Behavioral Support, Communication, and Caregiver Collaboration
Outline a caregiver collaboration model covering education, consent, and burnout awareness
Describe how to report changes in function or behavior to caregivers and clinicians
Explain ethical boundaries around scope of practice for a fitness specialist
Role-play a difficult caregiver conversation and document the outcome
Your checkpoint
A caregiver communication plan with a one-page change-reporting template
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Fundamentals & Assessment and Programming Considerations for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease & Exercise Design and Progression for Clients with Alzheimer's Disease & Behavioral Support, Communication, and Caregiver Collaboration
Complete a timed 100-question cumulative practice exam
Review every missed item and trace it to its source domain
Re-drill your three weakest subtopics until you reach 90% on a re-quiz
Finalize a one-page pre-exam summary sheet
Your checkpoint
Practice exam score log with a written remediation note for each missed item
Milestones
Week 2: Score 85% or higher on the domain 1 self-quiz and explain all three disease stages without notes
Week 4: Produce two complete stage-specific program templates that a peer could follow without clarification
Week 6: Deliver the 15-phrase cue library fluently and correctly redirect a simulated behavioral challenge
Week 8: Score 80% or higher on the cumulative practice exam with all missed items remediated in writing