Super Bowl Invitation

Principles of Geriatric Rehabilitation

Principles of Geriatric Rehabilitation

The elderly often suffer from diseases more easily and frequently than the young person and their recoveries are slow and incomplete
revitalizing geriatric physical therapy is the application of specific physiotherapy techniques on healthy older adults, in which involutional process of aging may trigger disease processes that can lead to declining functional abilities.
The most common cause of loss of functional abilities in the older person is inactivity or immobility. There are many causes for restraint in an older person within them have acute immobilization which is regarded as a detention accidental burns secondary to a disease, hip fracture, stroke, peripheral to name a few. patient activity is severely reduced until the acute illness is stabilized. . Architectural barriers can cause accidental freezing this includes bed rails, high / low beds, stairs, corridors with poor lighting, inadequate chairs, fear of falls, environmental and social isolation, pain on movement, numbness, lack of help mobility and / or transfers. And of course the attitude of "I'm too sick to get out" negatively affect mobility.
chronic immobilization is the result of long-standing medical problems, poorly managed or untreated as it can be a stroke, arthritis, amputation, Parkinson's disease, back pain

deconditioning process is defined as multiple changes produced in the physiology organ system induced by inactivity and therefore reversible physical activity. The degree of deconditioning depends on the degree of inactivity and physical level prior to this. The hypokinetic term that describes the physiology of inactivity.

Studies show older people are more physically active are less able to respond in some cases better that younger people in certain physical activities, that is why the exercise is considered a primary form of rehabilitation for the elderly.

There are challenges in understanding the interaction between inactivity and health in the elderly. The first is that aging has on the individual consequences similar to the inactivity, the second is to separate the effects of the inactivity of the effects of the disease, of course it is obvious that some effects of aging can be directly related to inactivity. The other challenge is to understand the difference between the physiological decline and loss of function is the inability of a 85-year-old steps up due to muscle weakness, joint pain, heart problems, poor balance, sensory impairments or a sedentary lifestyle?
understand the consequences of inaction is of great importance when assessing the need for rehabilitation of an older person.
Shepard * found that moderate physical activity results in the person feel better, which leads to better intellectual and psychomotor development, indirectly increasing self-esteem, body image and lower levels of anxiety, stress and depression .


is vital to the contribution that physical therapy can have in combating or slowing, the involutive processes of aging and / or inactivity that result disorders of the organs, organ systems and although asymptomatic at the beginning at a certain time may progress to achieve the subject's physical disability.
Geriatric Rehabilitation is the effective mechanism to compensate within the limits of the consequences of inaction, that geriatric rehabilitation and not just exercise?, Simple due to the characteristics and needs of the adult population exercise programs should be prepared and guided by professionals in the field of physical therapy and functional rehabilitation after conducting an assessment in order to determine the capabilities of each individual and to implement physical therapy plan appropriate to individual needs.
As therapists our goal should be to provide the elderly a preventive and corrective maintenance or where our basic goal is the functional independence of the people we treat, with the resulting gain a better quality of life
general principles rehabilitation in the elderly, regardless of the process in question should apply as a general and then apply specific techniques for the process.
1. Maintain maximum joint mobility
2. maintain or restore independence in ADL.
3. Maintain or increase muscle strength
4. achieve good gait pattern and balance.
5. value position.
6. history of falls
7. build trust and cooperation of the patient from the start.


maintained mobility, assisted or encouraged prevents further joint damage and muscle problems especially contractures, loss of strength and its consequences (gait disturbance, falls, immobilization syndrome).
general lack of exercise is usually a constant problem in the geriatric world, this may be due to the conveniences of modern life, the lack of information, arbitrary barriers of age for many activities, the effect of chronic diseases, It regulated the exercise and appropriate treatment is a necessity for the elderly, the exercises are aimed not contraindicated in any case, being benefits even in patients with severe coronary and peripheral vascular disease. Importantly, it should avoid aggressive or protective actions on the part of the family and team.

prevention in general is one of the foundations of working with elderly.

SENIORS WILL BE FOR EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO DO THE SAME FOR HER., If we resign ourselves to make it a regressive phase of involution.