Improving practice with integration of patient directed activity during inpatient rehabilitation.

Improving practice with integration of patient directed activity during inpatient rehabilitation. Clin Rehabil. 2016 Feb 2; Authors: Trammell M, Kapoor P, Sw. C, Driver S Abstract BACKGROUND: Early initiation of rehabilitation following stroke promotes better long-term outcomes than delayed onset, emphasizing the importance of inpatient therapy. However, literature indicates that following stroke individuals in inpatient rehabilitation spend the majority of their day in their bedroom and inactive. Consequently, since amount of functional activity is posited to relate to outcomes, the current rehabilitation model needs to be challenged with innovative solutions to maximize recovery. RATIONALE: In an attempt to promote greater activity and higher doses of therapy during inpatient rehabilitation, we implemented the "Patient Directed Activity Program" to facilitate specific movement and improve outcomes for patients post stroke. Our interdisciplinary activity program was conceptualized on a theoretical model for stroke recovery and principles of experience-dependent neural plasticity. MAIN FEATURES: The "Patient Directed Activity Program" includes distinct activity stations designed to increase repetition, stimulation, attention, and activity of the affected upper extremities, lower extremities, and trunk. Each task-specific activity was easily graded to achieve moderate- to high-intensity. The activity program prescribed...
Source: Clinical Rehabilitation - Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Tags: Clin Rehabil Source Type: research