1. Co-Morbidity of Schizophrenia and Other Medical/Neurological Conditions: Implications for Occupational Therapy Treatment

2. Does a co-morbidity of schizophrenia impact the manner, methods, and/or approaches used by occupational therapists in the treatment of individuals with other medical/neurological conditions?

3. Schizophrenia occurs in approximately 1% of the population of the United States. Thus, 1% of the occurrences of any other condition could involve a person with the symptoms of schizophrenia. Source: NIMH, 2002

4. Some Common Conditions Which Occur at Equal or Higher Rates for those with schizophrenia than in the General Population

5.  Aging Stroke Diabetes Obesity Multiple Sclerosis

6.  Sexually Transmitted Diseases Pregnancy Substance Abuse Traumatic Injuries Parkinson-like symptoms/TD Domestic Violence

7. Impacts of Concomitant Schizophrenia

8. Learning Difficulties Attention Deficits and Distractibility Thought Derailment Attention Capture Attention Capture

9. Memory Difficulties Information Retrieval Memory Transference Memory Transference

10. Other Cognitive Difficulties Problem Solving Analysis, Application, Abstraction Analysis, Application, Abstraction Accuracy and Quality Assurance Accuracy and Quality Assurance Decreased Verbal Skills Relevant vs. Irrelevant Stimuli Relevant vs. Irrelevant Stimuli

11. Motor Difficulties Reduced Co-ordination Reduced Flexibility Reduced Muscle Tone Psychomotor Poverty

12. Other Impacts Sedation / Hyperactivity MotivationSelf-Esteem Body Image AnhedoniaVision

13. What adaptations need to be made when treating an individual with schizophrenia who has another medical condition?

14.  Remember the PEO  Therapeutic Relationship  Shorter Treatment Sessions  Reduced Background Stimuli  Incremental Learning  Make Sure of “Common” Vocabulary

15.  Increased Repetitions  Visual Presentations / Demonstrations  Cue Cards  Written Instructions  Practicing of Actual Skills In-situ  Reinforcements

16. Concluding Statements and Questions