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Volume 7, Issue 6 (Suppl) J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism, an open access journal
ISSN: 2161-0460 Dementia 2017
October 16-18, 2017
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE & DEMENTIA
October 16-18, 2017 | Rome, Italy
9th International Conference on
Paratonia in Flemish nursing homes: State of the art
Bieke Van Deun
Ghent University, Belgium
Besides well-known cognitive challenges, motor abilities are affected in dementia due to several underlying movement
disorders. A major underlying motor problem is paratonia, a form of hypertonia characterized by a variable, involuntary
resistance against passive movement. Paratonia is often associated with contractures, decubitus and difficulties in comfortable
positioning and daily care procedures. The body of knowledge with regard to paratonia is scarce and thereby evidence-based
management is lacking. In an online survey, physiotherapists working in nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium) were inquired
for the eventual presence of any implemented (standardized) paratonia policy or protocol and for their clinical appreciation
of currently used ‘therapeutic’ strategies and positioning methods/aids. Though paratonia was estimated to be present in 40%
of the nursing home residents suffering from dementia, only a minority (17%) of nursing homes seems to have a standardized
paratonia policy. With respect to the most applied and appraised therapeutic interventions, positioning and soft passive
mobilization could be withheld. For a lying or seated position, respectively C-shaped positioning cushions and a multiposition
wheelchair were the most commonly applied and positively appraised positioning aids. According to the respondents, active
movement should be encouraged as long as possible, and several relaxation techniques may be of use. Crucial for the success of
any therapeutic intervention for paratonia, a multidisciplinary involvement is highlighted as prerequisite, comprising a good
communication and cooperation between all staff members. The need for fundamental and clinical research and demand for
practical guidelines was highly endorsed by this survey.
Biography
Bieke Van Deun has a Master of Science degree in Motor Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy. She has been working as a physiotherapist in a hospital and a nursing
home for 10 years. At present, she is a PhD student at the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy of the Ghent University. Her research topic
is paratonia in dementia.
Bieke Van Deun, J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2017, 7:6(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2161-0460-C1-034