Rehabilitation Philosophy and Principles

Rehabilitation is designed to facilitate the process of recovery from injury, illness or disease to as normal a condition as possible. It is care that can help you get back, keep or improve abilities that you need for daily life. Our team of professionals will help you define, design, implement and monitor a care plan that meets your rehabilitation needs and goals. Usually patients have rehabilitation goals that are attained within a 30day period. The team will assess and reassess your progress and goal progression throughout your stay. We will join you in this journey!

As a Rehabilitation program we have a well-established philosophy and principles that will support you throughout your journey towards wellness and recovery. When you were offered admission to our rehab program you affirmed your willingness to participate in the program to get the maximum impact from it to support your success.

The Philosophy of our Program:

• You can direct your own care
• You can set rehab goals in consultation with the health care team – you have restorative potential
• We hope you will be motivated to participate to get the maximum benefit from your rehabilitation
• Self-determination is key to your wellness and recovery
• You will be challenged to be your best and do your best
• Focus on what you can do – not what you can’t do
• Believe that the health care team is developing strategies for you to support success
• You can learn to adjust to and adapt to the new challenges that you experience
• Celebrate incremental improvements and be positive about the future
• You can optimize, enhance and maximize independent function
• You will see functional improvement and benefit from rehabilitative care

The Principles of Rehabilitation:

The principles of rehabilitation are the foundation on which your care plan will be established, in collaboration with your health care team. We will do “with you” and not “for you”.
Our principles are:

Holistic approach to care: We will treat the “whole person” and take into account your preferences, background, culture, religious beliefs, social supports, physical abilities and any barriers to discharge. We will treat you with respect and dignity and support you to be as independent as possible.

Time for Recovery: Your health care team will develop a plan of care and work with you to set an estimated date of discharge that takes into account your progress, your recovery and if your goals have been met. Your length of stay will be determined by the health care team and if you are continuing to make progress towards achieving your rehabilitation goals.

Education and Skills Development: Part of recovery also includes having the information you need to make informed decisions and to weigh your options. Staff will provide information and education to assist you with making these decisions. The staff will also work with you to develop the skills you need to be independent and will help you earn these skills while still an inpatient.

Intensity: You may not receive rehabilitation provided by therapy staff every day of your hospital stay as it is important to take into account your ability to sustain an intensive program, your endurance and your tolerance for sustained rehabilitation. Most therapy will occur during the week with you doing self-directed exercises and by working with nursing staff and PSW’s on the weekends and holidays.

Equipment and Assistive Devices: Your health care team will review your needs and assess if you need equipment and/or assistive devices at different stages of your rehabilitation and recovery. They will assess you to make sure that the equipment meets your needs, is safe for you to use and helps you progress towards the accomplishment of your goals.

Abilities: You are encouraged to have an optimistic perspective and to focus on what you “can do” versus what “you can’t do”. Part of rehabilitation is assessing what function can be regained and achieved versus what has been lost. You will work collaboratively with your health care team to identify goals that you are working to accomplish.

Promote Adaptation: You may have to learn to adapt having limits on your abilities and to be creative in how you meet your needs, including using assistive devices or aids to complete some tasks of daily living. Over time, you may see changes as you begin to recover.

Environmental Changes: At times it is necessary to make changes to your living environment so that you can return to it and have independence and have your needs met. Your health care team may have these discussions with you throughout your stay.

Barriers to Discharge: You and your health care team will identify any barriers to discharge and these will be addressed collaboratively with the team. It may be necessary to have an Occupational Therapist do a home assessment prior to discharge to identify any changes that need to be made to your environment to facilitate your return to that environment.

Continuum of Care: The team will identify the continuum of care that is appropriate for you and may make a referral for community based rehabilitation following discharge so that you can continue to progress.

Who is part of the therapy team?

Depending on your rehabilitation needs and assessments your team could include any or all of the following health care professionals:

• Physiotherapist (PT)
• Occupational Therapist (OT)
• Therapy Assistants (PTA/OTA)
• Speech & Language Pathologist
• Clinical Dietician
• Nurses/Personal Support Workers
• Pharmacist
• Social Worker
• Recreation Therapist
• Doctor or Nurse Practitioner
• Clinical Externs

What are the benefits of Rehabilitation?
By actively participating in the rehabilitation program, you will experience all or some of the benefits listed below:

• Resilience
• Wellness
• Enhanced function
• Self-care
• Improved mental health
• Confidence
• Hope
• Sense of accomplishment
• Self-directed care
• Improved health and function
• Education so that you can live and function as independently as possible