Program That Helps Elderly Perform Daily Living Tasks And Live Longer Designed B

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Program That Helps Elderly Perform Daily Living Tasks And Live Longer

Designed By Jefferson Team

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46854

A Jefferson University team has found that a personalized

program of occupational and physical therapy - plus modifications in

the home - can go a long way to help elderly individuals continue to

live independently and also live longer.

Gitlin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Research on

Aging and Health at Jefferson University in Philadelphia and

her team reported previously that a brief six-visit program

consisting of physical therapy, occupational therapy, home

modification and some instruction in problem-solving helped elderly

individuals in performing daily activities. After six months, those

of the 319 men and women ages 70 and older enrolled in the study who

received the intervention had fewer difficulties with daily living

tasks, especially personal care activities such as bathing and going

to the toilet, than those who did not receive the help. Intervention

participants were less afraid of falling, had more confidence in

their abilities to manage everyday activities and used more effective

coping strategies.

In a 14-month followup study, Dr. Gitlin, who is professor of

occupational therapy at the College of Health Professions of

Jefferson University, and her co-workers report in the current issue

of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that the efforts

had an even larger benefit.

They found that 1 percent of those receiving the intervention had

died, compared to 10 percent in the control group. During the same 14-

month period, of 31 participants who had been previously hospitalized

and who received the intervention, none died. In contrast, in the

control group, 21 percent who had been hospitalized died.

" These results appear to confirm that we are helping people address

functional difficulties that in turn offsets further decline, " Dr.

Gitlin says. " As people age, they often confront difficulties in

carrying out everyday activities due to age-related changes and

chronic diseases which can have significant functional consequences.

Chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis and

diabetes often result in older people having problems with daily

tasks such as bathing, dressing and preparing meals.

" It may become harder to get out of a chair or get dressed, " says Dr.

Gitlin. " When you begin to have functional difficulties, it is very

much associated with fear of falling. This is a serious syndrome

among the elderly, resulting in other negative consequences,

including activity limitations, depression and isolation. People

often begin to restrict activities, which has a spiral down effect.

We were interested in affecting how people thought and solved their

daily functional problems, helping build their confidence by

introducing effective coping strategies, making homes safer and

improving performance. "

The six-month intervention consisted of five " contacts " by an

occupational therapist (four 90-minute visits and one phone call) and

one physical therapy visit for 90 minutes.

For example, if a person was having difficulty preparing meals, Dr.

Gitlin's team developed strategies to improve this. " We focused on

performance and how individuals thought about an activity, " she

explains, " and helped people problem solve. "

" We can teach older people strategies that appear to have a

survivorship benefit, " Dr. Gitlin says. " These findings are very

important and suggest that occupational therapy and physical therapy

should be integrated in the care of older people who have functional

difficulties and chronic conditions. "