Neurological Rehabilitation

Question 1

When in a patients journey is neurological rehabilitation introduced and withdrawn?

Answer 1

Introduced on admission to acute care

Continued right through even when patient is back into community

Question 2

What is the aim of neuro-rehab?

Answer 2

Optimise patients level of function and their level of participation in society

Question 3

What healthcare professionals are involved in neuro-rehab?

Answer 3

Rehab physician and nurse
Physiotherapist
Occupational Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist
Neuropsychologist
Social Work
Orthotist
Dietician

Question 4

What conditions most commonly are seen in neuro-rehabilitation?

Answer 4

• Acquired brain injury (trauma, metabolic e.g. prolonged hypoglycaemia)
• MS patients (acute relapsing, progressive)
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Stroke
• Neurodegenerative disease
• Amputees/ Prosthetics
• Transition service for young adults

Question 5

How are the patients aims met in neuro-rehab?

Answer 5

• Goal setting for each task

- Short, medium and long term goals

Question 6

What framework is followed to produce goals for neuro-rehab patients?

Answer 6

SMART
S - specific (to each task)
M - measurable (for progress)
A - achievable (to not discourage)
R - reliable 
T - time efficient

Question 7

What is meant by active rehabilitation?

Answer 7

Rehab that takes place early to prevent adaptation of tasks.

If patients don’t recover quickly enough to preserve a task, they resort to adaptation of how they are going to get around that task

Question 8

What is meant by restorative rehabilitation?

Answer 8

Modification of the neural networks in order to fix the neurological impairment

Question 9

How does neuro-rehab promote priming intervention?

Answer 9

Use motor and visual imagery i.e. getting patient to imagine themselves completing a task
- this increases brain function

Mirror therapy in amputees also useful in increasing function

Question 10

What techniue is used in augmenting intervention?

Answer 10

Restriction of good limb to promote use of the bad limb

Question 11

What is preventative rehabilitation and why is it important?

Answer 11

Used to prevent complications
- e.g. ressure sores, DVT etc

• IMPORTANT as 70-95% of patients experience these complications

Question 12

What types of equipment may patients be trained to use during rehab?

Answer 12

• Apps on smartphones for speech and language development
• walking aids e.g. sticks
• Equipment for house e.g. handrails, ramp etc