Multidisciplinary Home Rehabilitation: A Practical Model

Occupational Therapy Practice Patterns with Older Swedish Persons at Home

“…Consequently, interventions are more likely to focus on changing the environment (Eakin & Baird, 1995;Law, 1991;Robnett, 1997). When providing environmental interventions it is vital to consider and include both the physical and social aspects (Hunt, 1994;Lilja & Borell, 1997;Portnow et al, 1991). There could be different explanations for this but one circumstance in the study was that the occupational therapists just handled minor home adaptations.…”

“…Another explanation could be that most of the elderly persons lived in seniors' housing with services, which already had a high level of environmental accessibility. When providing environmental interventions it is vital to consider and include both the physical and social aspects (Hunt, 1994;Lilja & Borell, 1997;Portnow et al, 1991). In this study, between the two periods, a shift of types of interventions in the domain of environment occurred, from adaptation of the physical home environment during the first period, to interventions related to the social environment during the second period.…”

“…Furthermore, the elderly persons themselves and the non-professional caregivers also have important parts to play in the rehabilitation process (Bachelder, 1994;Gershkoff et al, 1993;Rodriguez & Goldberg, 1993). The home can therefore be regarded as the ideal setting when occupational therapy is directed towards enhancing independence and autonomy (Jackson, 1992;Portnow et al, 1991;Rowles, 1991). In the home it is also possible to see the client in the context in which day-to-day, home-based tasks actually occur (Holm & Rogers, 1990;Nygård, Bernspång, Fisher & Winblad, 1994;Rubinstein, 1989), and to ensure that occupation is meaningful for that person (Adams, 1997).…”

“…Research stresses that interventions for elderly persons in the rehabilitation process are designed to achieve maximal restoration of function and to prevent secondary disabilities in order that elderly persons shall be able to maintain independent lives in the community as long as possible (Bachelder, 1994;Lee, Owen, Choo & Jayaratnam, 1991;Sonn, 1996). This goal can only be achieved when efforts are integrated and planned in co-operation between various professionals (Lee et al, 1991;Mulley, 1994;Portnow, et al, 1991;Young & Youngstrom, 1995). Furthermore, the elderly persons themselves and the non-professional caregivers also have important parts to play in the rehabilitation process (Bachelder, 1994;Gershkoff et al, 1993;Rodriguez & Goldberg, 1993).…”

Characteristics of home-based community integration programmes for adults with brain injury

“…Portnow et al [3] describe a programme that is intended to duplicate the services provided by in-patient rehabilitation, including physician visits several times a week. Warden et al [4] describe a programme designed as the control in a randomized, controlled trial of inpatient cognitive rehabilitation for people with TBI [5].…”