Fisioterapia geriátrica domiciliar e as interações com o lazer

Abstract

The objective of this research is to discuss the interaction Leisure-Physical Therapy in the realm of home care service to elderly citizens. In order to pursue that aim, a literary review study and semi-structured individual interviews with physical therapists were conducted. It was argued that there is a need to acknowledge: 1) the relevance of Leisure-Physical Therapy interaction towards home care service to the elderly, 2) the attention to context specific aspects related to the service provided in favor of a professional practice that may broaden approach, evaluation, treatment, and scope of the techniques used, and 3) the generation of new experiences to the patient/client under functional rehabilitation. Ten physical therapists working with private home care for the elderly in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, registered on the regional board of physical therapists, participated on the study. Age range was from 25 to 34 years-old, and participants got their physical therapy major degree in private universities somewhere between the years of 2002 and 2011, and starting to work as a professional approximately six months after graduation. Data analysis generated results that may contribute to service directed to the elderly by Leisure-Physical Therapy interaction. The physical therapists interviewed recognized how important leisure is to the social re-connection of the elderly patients/clients, but had difficulties in providing systematic or organized knowledge that supports the service. None of them claims to evaluate daily life advanced activities (that include Leisure contents) in their practice, although recognize that this type of evaluation exists. This study found that the lack of theoretical-conceptual framework for the physical therapists about their own practices made it difficult to deepen the Leisure aspects related to the patient/client and his/her family members/caretakers. Thus the participants treated Leisure as something superficial, narrowing it down to an intrinsic relation with the functionality of the elderly. Future studies are a must in order to develop and enhance new Physical Therapy practices. This demands implementing change towards competence acquisition for physical therapy dedicated to treat elderly patients at home. This study highlights the need for more research in the field of Physical Therapy, which deal with home care services to the elderly and its interaction with Leisure, considering the scarce theoretical background about such an area that is very relevant to physical therapy treatments in the sense of enhancing functional abilities and life quality of elderly patients/clients.