What is Rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation is a program that helps a person who is recovering from illness or injury to regain as much function as possible. The aim is for Residents or clients to become as independent as possible despite his/her disabilities. Rehabilitation also aims to teach strategies for ongoing disabilities.Common conditions that may require rehabilitation:
- Joint replacements and fractures
- Acquired brain injury including: Stroke (please click on the link below to see what rehab can do for a stroke victim. This is a fairly new technique offered in some areas.Of course results will vary, but rehab is very important to our residents. Click here for video on stroke
- Head Injury
- Spinal cord dysfunction
- Amputations
- Cardiac conditions
You can be a vital part in helping your resident gain their independence!
The Rehabilitation Unit and How it Functions
A rehabilitation unit can be in:
- Hospital where many patients need rehabilitation after an illness or possibly a surgery.
- Outpatient clinic has patients who come in from home to rehabilitate. They made need to come for a few visits or long-term.
- Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) can be in a hospital area or community nursing home
- Nursing homes most always have a rehabilitation program.
- Rehabilitation hospitals used primarily for rehabilitation.
Team members of a Rehabilitation Unit
Physician - Will assess and identify the issues to assist with planning the rehabilitation. They will write specific orders to follow for the rehabilitation.
Nurse - Provides the health monitoring and education as required and will talk with your physician where appropriate.
Speech-language pathologist - Concerned with any problems relating to understanding language and speaking, as well as reading and writing, memory and thinking and social skills. They also assess and manage problems with eating and drinking.
Occupational Therapist - Aims to help you to become as independent as possible in all daily occupations including eating, showering and dressing, cooking, shopping, driving, leisure activities, work and hand and upper limb function.
Restorative aide - Usually a nurse aide that has received additional training in rehabilitation. Supervised by a registered nurse or PT or OT.
Nurse Aide - Covers all resident or clients ADL?s.
Podiatrist - Manages any problems to do with your feet. This may include making orthotics and nail care.
Social Worker - Offers residents and their families support during a time of change as well as other services.
Dietitian - Addresses any nutritional needs of the client including the management of diabetes, cholesterol, and weight loss or weight gain. The dietitian plays an important role in the education about these issues.
Types of Rehabilitation
Skilled Therapy - Services is provided by the Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapist, certified Occupation assistant, and Speech Therapist. Requires a physician order
- Client must show consistent improvement
- Time frame based on client?s progress or lack of progress
- The Goal is for the client to return to their optimal mobility status.
- Documentation includes the initial assessment, notes, progress notes and discharge summary according to your facility policy and/or State regulations
Restorative Nursing - Services can be done by a Restorative Aide under the written program from the nurse or therapist. Requires a physician order
- Client should show consistent improvement
- Time frame is based on the client progress
- Goals are set by the nurse or therapist
- Documentation include daily and weekly progress notes, according to your facility policy and/or State regulations.
Functional Maintenance - These services can be done by a certified nurse aide. May or may not have a physician order
- Does not need to show a consistent improvement
- Your goal is to maintain the clients optimal level of functioning.
- Most documentation will be done on a flow sheet.
To enroll in the Restorative Aide course (It's completely online!) just click here: Restorative Aide Course
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