Neurospecialist AHPs Flashcards
What are the aims of neurospecialist AHPs?
- improve patients level of function
- reduce symptoms
- enable patients to regain independence
- increase quality of life
Who are the main AHPs involved with neurology patients?
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Dietetics
- Orthotics
- Art & Music Therapy
- Orthoptics (if vision is affected in stroke)
What are the main tasks of physiotherapists with neurological patients?
- target exercises at specific muscle groups
- Mobilise joints
- aid balance
- electrical stimulation and acupuncture
What are the main OT tasks with neurological patients?
- Optomise independence
- Assess cognition
- Check ADLs
- Complete home and work assessments
- Provide helpful equipment
What are the main aims of speech and language therapy with neurological patients?
- Assess speech and swallow
- manage swallowing if impaired
- provide techniques or aids for communication
How do dieticians aim to help neurological patients
- assess nutritional status
- assess feeding methods
- advice on best diet (e.g. best texture)
- give practical solutions for making food, and for eating difficulties
How do orthotists help neurological patients?
- help physiotherapists with joint assessment
- fit orthoses to stabilise joints and muscles
- optimise joint alignment
What neurological disease benefits greatly from music therapy?
Parkinsons
What specific physiotherapy is used for patients with Multiple Sclerosis?
- strengthening and aerobic exercise
- stretching muscles to keep relaxed
- Active and Passive ROM
- Postural exercises to reduce strain
What occupational therapy tasks are specific to Multiple Sclerosis?
- pacing activity (prevent patients stiring themselves out)
- Maintain work:rest ratio
- provide electronic aids
- control spasticity
How do dieticians and speech and language therapists aim to help multiple sclerosis patients?
manage dysphagia via:
- posture/positioning
- develop methods of eating
- texture of diet
- ways to reduce choking and aspiration
What do physiotherapists do to aid motor neurone disease patients?
- Complete a respiratory muscle assessment
- give exercises to increase lung capacity
- educate the patient on coughing techniques
- aim to reduce chest infection risk
How can an orthotist aid a motor neuron disease patient?
- provide neck brace due to instability
- provide upper limb support
How can a dietician aid patients with motor neuron disease?
- 1/3 of these patients will require feeding tubes
=> dieticians are in charge of managing these and inserting them early if suspicion of patient losing swallow
How do speech and language therapists assist in motor neuron disease?
- patients are often dysarthric due to bulbar muscle weakness
- may play a role in “voice banking” incase patient completely loses ability to speak
