What should be done for psychiatric patients who are unable to care for themselves?

In general, the treatment methods for psychiatric patients who are unable to care for themselves mainly include daily living care, medication therapy, psychotherapy, rehabilitation training, and physical therapy. The specifics are as follows:

1. Daily Living Care

Caregivers should assist patients with daily activities such as dressing, eating, and personal hygiene, ensuring both personal cleanliness and a tidy living environment. Patients should be regularly repositioned and given massages to prevent pressure sores and limb stiffness. Meals should be prepared according to the patient's taste preferences and nutritional needs to ensure balanced nutrition, laying the foundation for stable clinical condition.

2. Medication Therapy

Medication is key to controlling psychiatric symptoms. Under medical guidance, patients may take medications such as olanzapine tablets, risperidone orally disintegrating tablets, or quetiapine fumarate extended-release tablets. These drugs regulate neurotransmitter levels in the brain, alleviate hallucinations and delusions, and help patients gradually regain basic cognitive functions.

3. Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy should be tailored to the individual patient’s condition. Common approaches include supportive psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Through patient communication, trust can be established, helping patients develop a correct understanding of their illness, reducing anxiety and fear, and enhancing their willingness to cooperate with treatment.

4. Rehabilitation Training

Rehabilitation training aims to improve daily living abilities. By simulating everyday situations, patients can practice skills such as self-feeding and organizing clothes. Simple manual tasks or physical exercises can also be arranged to enhance hand dexterity and motor coordination, promoting functional recovery.

5. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can assist in improving both psychiatric symptoms and physical conditions. Commonly used methods include repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). rTMS modulates cortical excitability and helps relieve low mood, while ECT is suitable for patients with severe symptoms and can rapidly control dangerous behaviors.

Caregivers should closely monitor the patient’s emotional and behavioral changes, document responses after medication, and promptly communicate any abnormalities with the doctor. Regular hospital follow-ups are necessary to adjust the treatment plan based on disease progression. At the same time, caregivers should also manage their own psychological well-being and avoid excessive fatigue, providing consistent and stable care for the patient.