Scholarly record

COORDINATED REHABILITATION FROM PATIENT'S PERSPECTIVE AFTER BRAIN DAMAGE

A. Matejkova, J. Vackova, A. Praskova, E. Hanzalova, J. Jirkova

Abstract

Brain diseases or injuries are often accompanied by a serious neurological deficit and by a considerable socio-cultural problem. Coordinated approach under use of all rehabilitation elements is needed from the beginning of the disease. Coordinated rehabilitation includes a multidisciplinary team based on mutual cooperation of several experts from different branches. But the cooperation of such experts is often missed by patients after returning to their natural home environment. So the burden of the situation is often only on the patient or the patient's family. The study was aimed at describing how the multidisciplinary team works from the perspective of the brain damage patient within the GAJU project called "Coordinated rehabilitation of patients with brain damage (reg. No. GAJU 138/2016/S)". The project included patients after a cerebrovascular stroke, as well as patients after brain injury. The basic criterion of the selection of consisted in in preserved communication capabilities - i.e. the capability to get involved in structured interview based on questionnaires - FIM and WHODAS, as well as additional questions on social area and methods and techniques of physiotherapy. After returning from the hospital, the presence of the family is the most important for the patients. The patients were assisted by a multidisciplinary team who regularly visited the home environment. The team included physiotherapists, ergotherapists, social workers and physicians. In view of frequent visits of the physiotherapist, the patients often perceive that professional as the crucial one during recovery. Not less important is the ergotherapist whose work at fine motor skills or familiarization with aids is praised. The social worker is perceived by the patients rather as psychic or informative support. The positive aspects include for example the visits of the team to the patient's home, the cooperation of the team members or the client's development by all support forms. The negative aspects include for example the absence of practical training of some team members, but also the unsuitable form of data acquisition through questionnaires. The presence of the multidisciplinary team constitutes the main element of the patient's subsequent therapy after brain damage.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2018H/31/S13.076

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