Impact of cognitive activity combined with physiotherapy in a bedridden elderly: A case study

• Main Authors: Hariharasudhan Ravichandran, Balamurugan Janakiraman, Subramanian Sundaram, Berihu Fisseha, Asmare Yitayeh Gelaw
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
• Series: Journal of Geriatric Mental Health
• Subjects: 6-min walk test; delirium; hyponatremia; timed up and go test
• Online Access: http://www.jgmh.org/article.asp?issn=2348-9995;year=2018;volume=5;issue=1;spage=58;epage=61;aulast=Ravichandran

Rehabilitating hospitalized bedridden elderly patients is a challenging task for multidisciplinary team. The reasons for their hospital stay, their level of physical activity before hospitalization, and their disease prognosis interfere with the physiotherapist's intervention in mobilizing the patient out of bed. In this case study, Mr. S, a 66-year-old patient, hospitalized for hyponatremia and bounded to bed for 2 weeks due to his comorbid illness (hypertension and type II diabetes) and delirium was mobilized with cognitive activity, and the physiotherapy interventions have been discussed. This case study demonstrates the impact of cognitive therapy combined with physiotherapy interventions in mobilizing the elderly patient with delirium. In this case study, the patient was treated with cognitive therapy and physiotherapy for 7 days. Baseline and postintervention assessment of timed up and go test (TUG) and 6-min walk test (6MWT) was screened by a senior physiotherapist who is not aware of the interventions provided. Cognitive therapy and physiotherapy interventions are provided by a therapist who is not aware of the baseline and postintervention results. After 7 days, Mr. S was physically active and performed TUG in 12 s and achieved 245.4 m in 6MWT. Cognitive activity is essential among elderly patients expressing the state of delirium. Without sound cognition, it is not easy to rehabilitate elderly patients. In this case study, cognitive activity combined with physiotherapy is found to be effective.