Rehab Takes Teamwork
Posted on August 31, 2011 by bob in In Every Life
Rehabilitate originates from Latin “habilitas” meaning “to make able again”. Rehabilitation in healthcare is a category of services that helps individuals achieve the highest level of independence possible as they recover from injury, illness, or disease. Those experiencing concerns such as from trauma, addiction, cardiac or pulmonary diseases, stroke, musculoskeletal damage, etc. can often benefit from rehabilitation services. Restoring optimal functioning and well-being is highly individual and is based on perceptions of quality of life involving physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects.
Rehabilitation is a team effort. The rehabilitation team is composed of many skilled professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, chaplains, physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, dieticians, case managers, or others. Rehabilitative services are provided across all levels of healthcare delivery settings: in-patient acute care or rehabilitation hospitals, out-patient hospitals or clinics, long-term care skilled nursing facilities, or home care services. Rehabilitation is not intended necessarily to undo damage from various health concerns, but rather to assist individuals and families to modify effects in order to: 1) regain as much function as possible and 2) prevent further possible damaging effects.
Thus, goals must be determined by collaboration among the individual, family, and rehabilitation team and include:
— treating the basic disease and preventing complications
— treating any resulting disability to restore as much function as possible
— assistance with modifying the environment or learning to use adaptive tools
— teaching individuals and families methods to adapt to lifestyle changes for a new “normal”.
Family and community resources are vital in providing support, because rehabilitation is very hard work! Relearning or learning a new method for how to move, speak, swallow, remember, care for self, interact with others, manage pain (physical, emotional, or spiritual), or retrain for employment is demanding. An additional concern is the cost for “rehab” services. Evaluation of what specific services or providers will qualify for reimbursement by various insurance companies or Medicare/Medicaid is essential, and can allow planning for co-payments, deductibles, or filing with coinsurance. Authorization prior to beginning rehabilitation services may be required. Further information can be obtained from personal insurance companies or from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at https://www.cms.gov/.
Checking credentials of individuals or facilities and asking questions about past experiences can help determine the most appropriate fit between provider and the needs and goals of the individual/family. Additional questions include policies about admission criteria, visitation policies, treatment frequency and schedules, types of education and support for the individual and family, policies for management of emergencies, care provided by licensed therapists, nurses or physicians or by aids, and types of discharge assistance.
Further information can be obtained from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) at http://www.carf.org/home/.
Arlene H. Morris, RN, Ed.D. is a Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor in the Auburn Montgomery School of Nursing. She enjoys teaching content regarding gerontology and professional nursing issues. E-mail her at amorris@aum.edu.
