A proposal of therapeutic activities in a residential psychiatric unit

Abstract

Background and Aims:The activities planning in a Residential Psychiatric Unit depends on psychopathological and biopathological profile of patients, and so we have to focus our therapies on three main items: Cognitive Impairment, Social Skills and Psychomotor Loss. In this work we propose an Activity Plan for those aging and psychiatric patients.Methods:Psychiatric residential units show an usually old, poor collaborator, apathetic and cognitively impaired patient. We evaluated by psychological, medical and physical tests our residents in an attempt to change or palliate these conditions. According to results we assigned patients to activities. A new evaluation after six moths was planned to control real achievements.Results:Plan has four items:Cognitive Stimulation: List of activities to enhance memory, attention, concentration, logical and abstract thinking, gnosia and praxia.Psychomotor Training: we propose a plan overcoming usual apathy of these patients. It is also useful to improve social interaction.Creative Stimulation: A plan focused on fine psychomotor skills taking into account personal abilities as knitting, embroidery, painting or writing.Leisure Time: play therapy, dancing, singing, trips and similar activities are proposed to complete leisure time. These are voluntary activities instead of three previous sections.Conclusions:Residential Psychiatric Units are needed to plan some activities in order to palliate deficits and impairments proper of aging and psychiatric pathology.Program shows to improve or stabilize social and cognitive skills, autonomy and environmental interaction.After some initial resistance, our plan was well accepted and positively evaluated by patients and staff.