PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE REHABILITATION OF ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH GAMETHERAPY

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is closely linked to the aging process and is recognized as a neurodegenerative condition that significantly impacting the elderly population. Its primary characteristics include progressive memory deterioration, impairments in cognitive functions, and emerging disorientation. In advanced stages, individuals often experience severe motor difficulties, greatly reducing their quality of life. This study aims to investigate how physiotherapy, combined with game-based therapy (gametherapy), can enhance motor and cognitive functions, emphasizing particularly beneficial impacts on memory and reasoning skills. To achieve this objective, methodologies grounded in specialized literary sources, such as SciELO, PEDro, and LILACS, were utilized to identify relevant case studies and publications. The research seeks to comparatively evaluate traditional methods against innovative approaches, highlighting specifically the efficacy of using gaming and virtual reality in physiotherapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's patients. The methodology adopted is predominantly bibliographic, aiming to validate the scope of this research by providing an in-depth critical analysis of selected articles. The chosen references will be assessed based on their practical applicability in physiotherapy tailored for Alzheimer's disease. It is essential to note that gametherapy remains an emerging field, resulting in a limited number of available publications. Therefore, the presentation of this literature intends to promote and emphasize therapies that have yet to be extensively explored, offering a critical and innovative perspective on therapeutic intervention alternatives for patients with Alzheimer's disease.