Peculiarities of rehabilitation of elderly patients
Rehabilitation of elderly patients suffered from cardiovascular diseases, arterial hypertension, requires a special approach and professional competence, because at this age people may suffer from several diseases, each of the disease has its peculiarities and influences on the quality of life. Besides, with increasing age the number of different concomitant pathologies which can influence on the main disease and on the selection of drug therapy is growing.
These diseases can lead to walking difficulties, they can change the gait, walking rhythm. Many patients may develop anxiety, frustration. It is necessary to fight with these conditions, rehabilitation specialists of Belarus can render necessary medical care.
A difficulty in determination of the main and concomitant diseases in elderly patients is a great problem. That is why a complex examination is recommended in such cases.
Regardless of patient’s age, experienced specialists with high professional level will render rehabilitation medical care in the following cases:
- in the condition after liver or kidney transplantation in a year or several years after the operation, in case if there are not any complications or disorders after application of immunosuppressive drugs;
- after operation on stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreatic gland, intestinal tract;
- in case of chronic obstructive lung diseases, if a patient suffers from paroxysmal cough with blennoptysis, has moderate or constant walking disorder due to the short of breath which makes a patient to take breaks while walking or in some minutes of walk over a distance of 100 meters
- diabetes of the 2nd
Main methods of examination of cardiovascular system:
- registration of electrocardiogram using modern devices, equipped by computer;
- electrocardiographic examination with graduated exercise;
- echocardiography, Doppler echocardiography;
- pneumotachometry;
- investigation of the function of the lung breathing without or with functional probes;
- registration: crooked stream – forced expiratory volume;
- laboratory tests (general blood test, urine test, biochemical markers, blood analysis for PSA (marker of prostate gland).
The main problem of medicamentous therapy in old age is a necessity to prescribe more than one drug due to the presence of many diseases (at least three), a necessity of a long-term application of drugs due to the chronic nature of many diseases (heart failure, disease of the muscular-skeletal system and etc.).
In this regard, it is necessary to make individual rehabilitation programs with a careful and balanced approach to the prescription of drugs, combination of local corrective effect with overall improvement.
Physicians use the following methods in rehabilitation of patients:
- physiotherapeutic methods (ultrahigh-frequency treatable, microwave therapy , extremely high frequency therapy, ultrasound laser therapy),
- massage,
- inhalation aeroionotherapy,
- balneotherapy,
- local applications by sapropelic mud,
- teaching breathing techniques,
- improvement of the effectiveness of breathing by special methods of respiratory rehabilitation,
- walking,
- pedestrian walks,
- terrenkur,
- climototherapy,
- a healthy diet.
Accordingly, a rehabilitation program is made up individually for every patient by experienced highly-qualified rehabilitation therapists, physiotherapists, physical therapy instructors, psychotherapists and psychologists.
Besides, to achieve maximally positive effects it is necessary to develop the skills of self-control, maintaining the quality of life, control over drug intake, follow a diet taking into consideration acceptability of foodstuffs.
The program of rehabilitation can be implemented by experienced highly-qualified rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, physical therapy instructors, psychotherapists and psychologists.
Patients who have a rehabilitation course are offered 5-time meals. It contains juices, confectionery products, appetizers from fresh vegetables and fruits, a wide choice of dairy products. Diet therapy takes into consideration individual peculiarities of food intolerance. Patients are given recommendations concerning the diet and taking of food.