In many parts of the world, rehabilitation is a service that helps people who have been disabled by illness or injury to keep, improve or recover their ability to move, think and interact. It may also help them to manage their pain or side effects from medical treatments. It is a vital health intervention that complements other health services, particularly medical and surgical interventions.
The nature of a person’s disability or illness, their prognosis and their goals are key to the type and timing of the rehabilitation intervention selected. The underlying philosophy of rehabilitation is that health is not just about managing symptoms and disabilities, but rather about enabling people to achieve their maximum functional potential.
Rehabilitation is often associated with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology. However, it can include other allied health professions such as psychologists, social workers and dietitians. It can be delivered in hospital or in the community, either through a private provider or government-run services.
Its benefits have been shown in a wide range of studies, primarily through its impact on a person’s return to and engagement in work and other activities. Research has also demonstrated cost savings to healthcare systems. However, these tend to capture only the costs of care for the health system, and do not reflect the financial advantages gained by the individual, such as reduced need for long-term care.
A holistic approach to health is essential to the success of rehabilitation, and psychological and cognitive therapies are part of this broader set of interventions. They are particularly important for the more complex and enduring disabilities that often result from trauma or amputation, such as traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury. Head on over to rehabnear.me for more info.
In order to get the most out of rehabilitation, patients need to identify their long-term goals, for example, to walk 200 feet without an assistive device at the end of therapy. It is then necessary to make several short-term goals that will lead them towards the longer-term goal. For example, a patient might start by walking 100 feet with the use of a cane, then with the use of a walker and eventually without any devices at all.
In addition, the essential package of rehabilitation interventions identified by WHO includes medication to help manage pain and spasticity (a stiff or tight muscle). Medication is an important complement to a holistic rehabilitation program. It can be prescribed by a health professional to support a person in their rehabilitation journey. It can also be provided in a community setting by non-health professionals. This is a growing area of rehabilitation practice that requires further research to understand the impact on individuals. It can also be offered as an alternative to invasive procedures, such as surgery or amputation. This can be an important option for people with limited access to rehabilitation services.