Physical therapy and dementia

Dementia is an incurable condition that causes the loss of cognitive functioning. Patients suffering from dementia will slowly lose their ability to remember, reason, and even think, all of which can have a drastic impact on their ability to live independently on a day-to-day basis. Patients with dementia have trouble with language skills, problem-solving, self-management, the ability to pay attention, the ability to focus, and more. Although dementia is a condition that affects the brain and is incurable, physical therapy can be extremely beneficial.

How Does Physical Therapy Help With Dementia?

Dementia occurs in stages and slowly progresses as symptoms get worse and worse. Physical therapy can help to improve the patient’s quality of life throughout all stages of dementia. This is especially true due to the fact that muscle weakness is a common symptom.

In the beginning stages of dementia, patients often suffer from cognitive limitation as well as decreased muscle strength and balance, which can result in a higher risk of falls, medical complications, and hospitalizations. Physical therapy helps to improve and maintain a patient’s balance and muscle strength as much as possible to reduce these risks.

Helping the patient maintain their balance and muscle strength to reduce the risk of injury isn’t the only benefit of physical therapy for dementia patients. Physical therapy can also help patients to maintain the function they need to be able to complete physical activities that they enjoy in their day-to-day lives, such as playing sports or gardening. These activities allow patients to continue living a meaningful and enjoyable life by promoting a sense of purpose. It also helps with their cognitive abilities since these activities give them something to focus on and look forward to.

As dementia progresses, certain physical activities, such as playing sports, will no longer be possible. In the latter stages, physical therapy can help patients maintain the ability to perform routine tasks, such as getting in and out of bed. This is done by improving their flexibility in order to prevent the risk of muscle contractures. Physical therapists will also perform routine tests to determine if assistive devices are needed (such as a walker).

Physical Therapists Are Educators

Besides helping dementia patients to maintain a high quality of a life as is possible, physical therapists will also help to educate their family or caregivers in regards to taking care of the patient. For example, physical therapists can inform the caregiver about ways to improve communication with a dementia patient, how to reduce the risk of falls, and ways to improve safety throughout the home.

Physical therapy can be hugely beneficial in improving the quality of life of a dementia patient throughout every stage of their condition. Even something as simple as going to physical therapy can be beneficial in that it provides the patient with the opportunity for socialization, thereby reducing potential feelings of isolation. Not to mention that physical therapists can provide helpful advice to the caregivers as well. For information about our physical therapy services here in Vero Beach, FL, be sure to contact us at Florida Spine today.