How to Select a Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Guiding Your Way to Brain Injury Recovery: Choose Wisely

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Injury can happen in a matter of time, but selecting a rehab facility after an injury is the most difficult thing because it’s something that no one can rush while selecting. There are lots of rehab centers that offer hundreds of rehabilitation programs. Especially after a brain injury, you must be careful before selecting any rehab facility. Rehabilitation programs may vary in quality, various services, and philosophy.

After a brain injury, a person is in no condition mentally and physically to select a rehab center for themselves. So, it’s the duty of their loved ones, and if you are searching for a rehab center for your loved ones, you have come to the right place. Because in this blog, you will learn how to select a rehabilitation center for your loved ones after their brain injury.

To start your research, let’s list what you will need while searching for the best rehabilitation for brain injury.

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Which are the best people to ask about the best rehabilitation after brain injury?

If someone from your family or friends suffers from brain injury, here are the following folks you can ask for suggestions while searching for the best rehabilitation for brain injury.

• The case manager or hospital social worker.
• The physician who is currently treating your loved one
• Your family doctor
• The health insurance company ( if the injured person has an insurance policy), but the choice may be limited because of policies.
• Brain injury association of your state
• Anyone in the family with experience in the rehab center
• The American brain injury association has a list of rehab programs on its searchable database.
• If you are an employee somewhere, you can take advantage of EAP ( employee assistance program) because it includes elder/adult referral services and resources, which might help you identify rehab facilities nearby.

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It is believed that support from loved ones in the rehab center makes a lot of difference for the survivor. Especially support from parents, so having a rehabilitation facility near your house can make a lot of difference and help the survivor’s speedy recovery.

Moreover, rehab facilities must not be selected based on distance because people living in rural areas must travel a long distance to the rehab center.

What services should every brain injury rehab facility have?

Here are the following services that every brain injury rehab center must have before selecting the rehabilitation facility.

• Complete assessment and evaluation of the patient’s unique cognitive, physical, communication, behavioral, social, and emotional impairments.
• Physical therapy will help the patient regain mobility, balance, coordination, endurance, and strength.
• Occupational therapy so the patient can learn self-care and skills which will help in living daily life.
• Language and speech therpay so the patient can communicate again will help in swallowing food.
• Cognitive rehabilitation will help treat deficits in concentration, problem-solving, memory, attention, decision-making, and attention.
• Rehabilitation psychology or neuropsychology so the patient can accept the incident and the consequences of the incident. Also, it will help in treating any behavioral and emotional problems.
• It must include a social skill group so the patient can learn how to interact socially with different people.
• The Rehab center must have recreational therapy so that the patient can learn again about leisure skills and maybe he can develop new interests.
• It must have easy access to any medical specialists that are required at the time, such as orthopedists, neurologists, or doctors, to decrease the pain.
• The rehab center you choose must teach how to live after brain injury to the patient and the family of the patient.
• Counseling of the patient family so they can adjust according to the survivor’s impairments.
• Substance abuse counseling.
• Excursions outside the rehabilitation facility to reconnect the victim with the community and identify any particular needs.
• Vocational therapy will help the higher-functioning survivor to return to work.

What type of staff should a brain injury rehabilitation have?

Staff is the most important thing after treatment and doctors because they care for the patient after the doctor. So, looking for a rehab center with experienced and well-trained staff is very important.

Important Note:

Suppose the rehab facility has interns, students, and staff with less experience. In that case, it should be mentioned early because admitting a patient to such a rehabilitation center will be equal to putting his life in danger.

The staff of the rehab facility should have the following:

1. A board-certified neurologist or a physiatrist as a team leader.
2. A rehabilitation psychologist or a neuropsychologist.
3. Occupational, speech, physical, vocational, and recreational therapists.
4. A rehabilitation nurse will help the patient with the patient’s therapy tasks in the evenings and on weekends.
5. A clinical dietitian is a must in the rehab center staff because, during the treatment, patients have a good appetite.
6. A case manager who will ensure everything is going fine and notify the patient’s family on time.

What are the things to inspect in the brain injury rehab facility?

Here are 10 things you must inspect in the rehab facility after a brain injury.

1. Cleanliness
2. Adequate area for a variety of therapies
3. Staff professionalism, attention to detail, and concern for their patients
4. Do you feel comfortable monitoring events, strolling around, and asking questions?
5. Are the patients clean and well-maintained?
6. Do they look to be pleased with their treatment?
7. Is the meal tasty?
8. Is there a home orientation suite where the patient may practice skills in home settings?
9. Do you ever feel rushed or under pressure?
10. Is a cafeteria, meditation room, chaplain, and lounges available for families?

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Selecting a rehabilitation facility without considering these things means putting your patient’s life in danger. So, consider every single point while selecting the brain injury rehab center.

Ending notes:

Do not get excited if the rehabilitation facility looks fantastic or their brochures look wonderful. Always ask a question about what you learned above because it is your right to ask about things you are worried about.

You can make notes of every rehabilitation while visiting the different rehabilitation centers. Doing this will help you in selecting the rehabilitation facility.

Moreover, don’t be shy in asking the families of already admitted patients questions. They can be really valuable resources while selecting the rehabilitation facility.