INTERVENÇÕES FISIOTERAPÊUTICAS NOS CUIDADOS PALIATIVOS EM PACIENTES IDOSOS EM PAÍSES DESENVOLVIDOS

Abstract

Palliative care is based on benefiting the quality of life of patients with lethal pathologies, who are experiencing the consequent symptoms of the disease, as well as helping their families. This proposal is used in different ways by each country, being more common in high-income countries. The physiotherapist is qualified, by law, to be part of the multidisciplinary team of palliative care. It is discussed in the literature that there are many symptoms in the terminal state in the elderly, the main ones being pain and dyspnea. Although physical therapy can benefit many of the consequences of terminal diseases, studies on the methodologies used and quantified results are scarce. The aim of the study is to address physiotherapeutic interventions in palliative care in terminally ill elderly people in several developed countries. Data collection for the articles discussed was performed in PubMed electronic databases. The main therapeutic aim is not rehabilitation, but the alleviation of the patient's suffering, in the sense of making their last periods of life less difficult. The clinical worsening of this public is expected, given that their pathologies are incurable and progressive. Emotional care is important and explains placebo factors, light physical activity at a reduced weekly frequency was shown to be more effective in this type of patient. Manual therapy techniques proved to be beneficial. The physiotherapeutic performance is still reduced in this area, requiring larger spaces.