The objective of this case study was to illustrate what might need to be considered as a part of patient’s lifestyle management in home-care rehabilitation setting.
On the day the author noticed his unexpected cognitive dysfunctions, he was delivered to the hospital. However, all his examinations mentioned above did not identify a cause for the deterioration. Another symptom was thinner physique in comparison to the previous week. In the following week, his Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Cognitive-related Behavioral Assessment (CBA) were measured. Based on the above assessments, the author's questions to his wife found that reduction of his daily food intake was found due to loss of appetite possibly caused by the less flavor of his meals. The author informed his wife that it would not make his health any worse with the original flavor. The above assessments were repeated three weeks after the event to compare with the baseline measures.
At baseline his MMSE score was 14/30, his FIM score was 62/118 (40 on the motor items and 22 on the cognitive items), and his CBA score was 15/30. As his appetite and daily food intake were enhanced with the original flavor of his meals, two categories of the CBA, his arousal and depression, were improved. Three weeks later all scores increased to 21 (MMSE), 86 (60 on the motor items and 26 on the cognitive items; FIM), and 21 (CBA).
Overall, the above scores were increased in the span of three weeks. His loss of appetite possibly due to the decreased flavor of meals might have caused a lack of fuel in his body leading to his cognitive decline with no medical reasons. The lifestyle factors in this case report also included his wife, the key person to him. The author believes that the combined use of the above assessments with other evaluations, such as his physiques and family factors in this case report, helps the therapists form more precise questions at the baseline and establish lifestyle management.
In conclusion, the therapists should assess their patients’ lifestyles thoroughly for management strategies in home-care rehabilitation setting. The future study should further present patients’ lifestyle management strategies to make their physical therapy treatment plans as effective as it should be.
This case report illustrates the importance of incorporating lifestyle management as part of the patient’s physical therapy plan of care in the home-care setting.
Lifestyle management
Cognitive dysfunction
