An injury, an operation or some health conditions can affect a person's ability to move and carry out their daily tasks. This is where rehabilitation and rehabilitative care come in: helping the person regain their abilities as far as possible, adapt to their needs, and take part in daily life with more confidence.
What do rehabilitation and rehabilitative care mean?
Rehabilitation is care built on an assessment of each person's needs. It aims to improve their ability to do the activities that matter to them, such as moving around, getting dressed and looking after themselves. Its goals and steps vary with the person's condition and current abilities, in coordination with specialists.
Rehabilitative care supports these goals in everyday life, by offering the right help and encouraging the person to use and maintain their abilities.
Who can benefit?
Rehabilitation can help people who have difficulty moving or doing daily activities after injuries or surgery, as well as older adults, people with disabilities, and people whose abilities have been affected by certain health conditions. A specialist assessment decides the right kind of support for each case.
How does it make a difference to daily life?
Rehabilitation is not only about better movement; it also helps the person go about their day with more comfort and independence. Care goals may include:
- Supporting movement and getting around, as assessed by the specialist.
- Making personal care and daily activities easier.
- Encouraging participation and independence, in line with the person's abilities.
- Helping the family understand the person's needs and how to support them.
- Following progress and reviewing goals according to response and need.
Care that puts the person first
Good rehabilitative care starts with listening: what does the person need? Which activity do they hope to get back to? The goal may be moving around the house more easily, getting dressed with less help, or joining in family time.
Realistic goals like these tie the care closely to the person's life, while respecting their privacy and pace, and offering support without taking away the chance to try and take part.
The family's role in rehabilitation
The family plays an important part in encouraging the person, providing a suitable environment, and keeping in touch with the care team about any difficulties or changes. Following the specialists' guidance keeps day-to-day support consistent with the rehabilitation plan.
Learn about rehabilitation and rehabilitative care at the Specialized Medical Care Center, and contact the center for the details of the service and whether it suits your needs or those of a family member.