It is extremely important to keep your patients as active as possible.  During the STNA training in Ohio, students learn that activity improves and maintains physical and mental health for the patients.  Our training teaches students how to engage. Patients who are inactive may experience

• Loss of self-esteem
• Depression
• Boredom
• Pneumonia
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Constipation
• Blood clots
• Dulling of the senses

 Meaningful activities help promote independence, memory, self-esteem, and quality of life. Physical activity can also help manage disease states, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Regular activity can also:

• Lessen the risk of heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and obesity
• Relieve symptoms of depression
• Improve mood and concentration
• Improve bodily functions
• Lower the risk of falls
• Improve sleep quality
• Improve the patient’s ability to cope with stress
• Increase energy
• Increase appetite and promote better eating habits.

 Many facilities have an activity department that encourages residents to socialize and to be physically and mentally active. Activities such as exercise, arts and crafts, games, reading, gardening, and religious events are regularly scheduled and patients are encouraged to participate to the best of their physical and mental abilities. These activities are often a regular part of daily schedules and are usually posted in conspicuous places throughout a facility.

While encouraging residents to be active, you must also be respectful of their wishes. Some residents may simply not want to participate. Ask them why they do not want to participate and respect that feeling, rather than treating them like a child, which is embarrassing and demeaning.

• The resident may not want to participate because he or she does not know how to do the activity and they don’t want to be embarrassed. Removed from the group, patiently teach them what they need to know about the activity.
• Offer an alternative activity.

The goal is to keep patients as healthy and active as possible.

Tags: STNA, Training

This entry was posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 4:31 am and is filed under Patient care, STNA Classes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.