Rehabilitation therapy in pandemic situation

1. Why should you not let the pandemic stop your rehabilitation therapy? The ongoing pandemic has hit almost every society where it hurts the most - overall living quality of the people. Social distancing for the foreseeable future, restrictions on social life and limited access for travel, made the lockdown effect feel like an eternity already. Being socially responsible is as important as taking care of one’s own health needs. While telemedicine, and home delivery of medications taking care of the general medical needs progressively, the other medical services such as rehabilitation are undergoing a dramatic transformation. With the challenges involved, few patients are resorting to postponement of their therapy sessions but rehab specialists across the globe are insisting on the importance of continuing rehabilitation even during such pandemics. Rehabilitation for specific conditions in a pandemic Why should people with specific health conditions never stop rehab therapy until the complete recovery? The answer lies within the question. Because there is no complete recovery. In simple words, stopping the therapy in the middle for specific conditions can lead to serious health complications. It will delay the recovery or impair the whole process. It is essential that people continue their rehabilitation considering the consequences that range from minor to major based on the type of health condition they are seeking rehabilitation for. And, this is for all the good reasons. How the new approach of rehab care clinics help patients

2. The sudden outbreak gave less time to be prepared for the rehab hospitals. No one has ever experienced a medical situation like this or nobody has any playbook to go by. Here are a few adaptations rehabilitation centres brought in light so that the health and safety of people is taken care of. ● Remote patient evaluation Every measure that reduces the exposure of infection is being employed by the healthcare providers. There are options such as telemedicine while utilizing the electronic health record systems to conduct the initial consultation. However, in the cases where the in-person evaluation is necessary, the rehab specialist use all the protective gear recommended by WHO. ● Therapy capsules The structural capsules of each department restrict unnecessary intervention at the same time coordinating with ease. The therapy teams will be divided into teams that are isolated from each other. Generally each group consists of the same therapists, nursing care attendants. ● Personalized rehabilitation program A personalized rehabilitation program is prepared under the guidance of the rehabilitation therapist. These sessions can be initiated by the therapist as in- person consultation or from a remote setup and can be continued as a home exercises program. Encourage the patient and their family members, to practice the regime in the home setup. ● Help in taking informed decisions Picturing all aspects of a person’s health in the event of the suspension of a rehab service, explaining the complications, the impact of delaying the therapy will help your clients make informed decisions. Make them aware of the new approaches that your rehab clinic follows to ensure their safety. ● Guided rehab care at home from a virtual set up Restructuring the regular patient rehab continuum, the rehab specialists are following a new approach. Following the safe discharge of the patient from a hospital to a rehabilitation center, the rehab specialists device the personalized

3. therapy that could be further taken care at home with the help of a family member, guided by the rehab doctor virtually. Minimizing the risk and maximizing the personalization factor in therapy, the rehabilitation therapists participate in a coordination fashion for post-surgery rehabilitation, rehabilitation for seniors, rehabilitation for covid-19, and rehabilitation for physical impairments. Standing tall with a motive to improve quality of life at the same time reducing the risk of readmission, the community-bound rehabilitation laser focuses on the unmet needs of daily activity, physical function, and the daily living assistance of the people. Considering the rehab needs of patients who have been transferred to homes directly from the acute departments, consultation, structuring the rehab plan, and monitoring the therapy sessions are on offer virtually by the rehabilitation experts. Safety is the paramount Safety of the rehab providers and receivers is the paramount in any scenario. Following the safety norms and guidelines provided by the Govt of India and WHO, the rehabilitation clinics in India, are proving their worth once again by opening all possible doors to provide comprehensive and uninterrupted rehab care.