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Older People
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation after an illness or accident
- What is rehabilitation about?
- What will having a rehabilitation service be like?
- How long will I have the service?
- Where are these rehabilitation services?
- Who will help me to decide which is the right service for me?
- What if I still need help afterwards?
What is rehabilitation about?
Sometimes after sudden illness or injury people find themselves needing help to manage at home, or even having to consider going into permanent residential or nursing home care. These will be the right choices for many, but Devon Social Services is now able to offer a number of short-term services, either in your home, in a day centre, or in "special" residential care settings, which involve active programmes of rehabilitation to help you regain your independence. Equally some people in residential and nursing home care may decide they are able to manage in their own home again, but need help to make the move.
Rehabilitation aims to:
- rebuild your skills and confidence in doing everyday activities
- teach you new skills to help you manage at home
- keep you out of hospital, or permanent residential care, unless this really is the right choice for you.
What will having a rehabilitation service be like?
Rehabilitation is about encouraging and helping you to do things for yourself. Specially trained carers work with you under the guidance of an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist. They will give you advice on how to cope with your illness or disability, or provide you with aids and equipment to help you do things more easily. You will all be following a written care plan, which alters as you improve.
How long will I have the service?
Each person's progress is different and it is difficult to predict how long recovery will take. Each service is for a set period, but this may be extended or another rehabilitation service offered, if that is the best thing to do.
Where are these rehabilitation services?
Most of these services are now available county-wide, but there are unfortunately some gaps which we are working to fill and most people will be able to get at least one of these services.
- Rapid Response / Community Support Teams - Helping you stay at home in an emergency.
If you have had some sort of emergency, this service may be offered to you on the same day. Usually it will be impossible for you to stay at home without extra support and these teams will prevent an unnecessary admission to hospital, or residential care. The service is free for up to six weeks. Your needs and abilities are continually assessed and support is reduced as your level of independence increases. - Rehabilitation Domiciliary Care - Planned rehabilitation in your own home
Many people have a long-standing medical condition, which gradually makes everyday life a struggle. Help may be needed for a short time to learn new ways of coping and gaining the confidence to remain as independent as possible in your own home. - Rehabilitation Day Care - Rehabilitation in a Day Centre
This service provides a programme of rehabilitation in a Day Centre, it may run as part of a package of services to enable you to live in your own home as long as possible. Meals and refreshments will be provided, but there will be a small charge for this. Transport to and from the centre can be arranged. - Short Stay Residential Care Rehabilitation
This service will suit people who will benefit from a programme of rehabilitation, but who in the short-term may not be safe to stay at home on their own. Most people will enter this service from hospital, although it is possible to come straight from the community. It is based in specially contracted residential homes or units and offers more care and support than can be given your own home. You will have the opportunity to recover at your own pace, to rebuild your confidence and to practice daily living skills such as washing and dressing and preparing simple meals. Some people need longer to recover from their illness and a longer-term rehabilitation programme in a residential setting may be the best option. As you will only be having a temporary stay in care, you will not be charged for this service.
Who will help me to decide which is the right service for me?
After assessment by a Care Manager and Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist, your needs are discussed with you and you will be offered the most suitable choice. Once you are happy, you will be given a copy of your care plan.
What if I still need help afterwards?
Some people will not need any further help following rehabilitation, but some might need to have a different programme of rehabilitation, or long-term services to help them stay in their own homes. If ongoing help is needed, a Care Manager will arrange this for you. Understandably, some of our service users who still need some long-term support can feel disappointed to find that the carers who provided their rehabilitation service cannot provide this. Unfortunately, these are specially trained staff who only provide rehabilitation, not longer term support.