Introduction of physical exercise for the psychiatric patients : utilizing their individuality, needs, and interest

Abstract

Our hospital provides group exercise programs in occupational therapy. We interviewed two schizophrenia patients whom we had difficulty encouraging to do the programs due to their motivational deficiency in physical exercise. Examining their needs and interests, we introduced them to exercise programs in consideration of the individual characteristics of the patients. The results were as follows : Case 1—he came to willingly participate in the games involving body sensations, and his activities increased ; Case 2—he began to work on the training while singing together with the staff. Through these cases, we realized that when introducing motivational deficient patients to exercise, it is essential to identify and remove the factors underlying them, and therefore, give each patient the assistance according to their characteristics. When operating the exercise program for the mental patients, it is important not only to expect their physical effects but also to introduce them to the program respectively, considering each individual characteristic of the patients such as their needs, interests, and concerns.