Kiarra Bayaton

ISM 6
th

4/6/14

Thomas, Bob. Treating Schizophrenia in the Older Patient
Thomas, Bob. "Treating Schizophrenia in the Older Adult." On ADVANCE for Physical
Therapy & Rehab Medicine. N.p., 1 Apr. 2002. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

Schizophrenia is a common illness but one of the least educated
This affects 1 percent of the elderly population above the age of 65
Ninety percent of these patients experience symptoms beginning at the age of 45
Major things such as work or interpersonal relationships become disturbed
Patients get categorized as having a lack of goal orientation
Often the traits that are displayed amongst these patients are anxious, mistrustful of others or
argumentative
The illness is associated with an overactivity in the mesolimbic pathways of the brain
A mesolimbic pathway contributes to the role of motivation processes
An overactivity of these pathways lead to hallucination
These patients prior to the diagnosing usually have awkward/ nonexistent social skills and
fear change
Certain drugs such as Thorazine are able to ease the overactivity in the mesolimbic pathway
but they present other major risks
In addition to blocking the dophamine in the pathway there are risks of the medication
potentially blocking other parts of the brain that might cause impaired movement and
comprehension
Dophamine is the reward and pleasure center in the brain
Antipsychotics are another way of calling medication that controls hallucinations
Side effects to these kind of medications parallel to some of the symptoms that are found in
patients who suffer from Parkinsons disease
A main paralleling symptom is involuntary movements in the tongue, jaw or other
extremities
A newer form of antipsychotics are not as strong into differing the recptors
Drugs such as Clozaril, Risperdal and Zyprexa are able to block enough dophamine to reduce
activity in the mesolimbic pathways yet cause fewer issues with the movement
An overactivity of mesolimbic pathways cause hallucinations/delusions
In addition it also causes an under activity of the frontal lobes which therefore lead an
absence of a reality differentiation
When approaching a patient or person that is suffering from schizophrenia one must be
sensitive to their difficulties and their personal boundaries
They must be able to create a familiarity so it is best to let them have just one therapist.
Kiarra Bayaton
ISM 6
th

4/6/14
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy works: Dementia Works
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. "Physiotherapy Works: Dementia Care." The Chartered
Society of Physiotherapy. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

Patients who suffer from dementia have trouble expressing pain
This causes issues for everyone because this makes the treatment process a little bit more
difficult
With trouble expressing pain, patients are unable to response to any type of intervention
Dementia patients usually have another illness aside from it
Illnesses usually include cardiovascular issues, diabetes, osteoporosis and other chronic
conditions
Physical activity helps with reducing these conditions
This leads to also reducing the progression of dementia because this helps the brain recognize
pain as well as cognition