Caring for People With Rehabilitation Needs

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers concepts from the lecture on caring for people with rehabilitation and restorative care needs, including phases of recovery, team members, and specific assistive devices.

Rehabilitation

The process of assisting an individual regain their highest level of physical, emotional, and/or economic function through treatment, education, and prevention of further disability.

Restorative care

The care provided by all members of the health care team (usually the nursing team) to support the rehabilitation process and help the person maintain their highest level of function.

Physical therapist

A licensed therapist who focuses on addressing strength, endurance, coordination, balance, posture, and flexibility.

Occupational therapist

A licensed therapist who focuses on smaller muscles and smaller movements to help a person regain or maintain skills needed for everyday life, including ADL and IADL functions.

Speech-language pathologist

Also referred to as a "speech therapist," this professional focuses on regaining or maintaining the ability to communicate, chew, and swallow.

OBRA

The law that requires long-term care facilities to provide rehabilitation services to meet a resident’s needs.

Acute phase

The first phase of the rehabilitative process, focusing on the first 24 hours, keeping the individual alive, and constant observation of heart functioning and ventilation.

Subacute phase

The second phase of rehabilitation lasting approximately 1 week, focusing on medical stabilization, preventing complications of immobility, and maintaining rehabilitation potential.

Chronic phase

The third phase of rehabilitation where areas addressed include restoring/maintaining ADLs, independent movement, cognitive skills, and preparing the person to return to work.

Orthotist

A member of the rehabilitation team who specializes in making and fitting braces.

Prosthetist

A member of the rehabilitation team who specializes in making and fitting artificial body parts.

Emotional rehabilitation

Rehabilitative services focusing on coping skills, feelings of despair, loss of self-esteem, and various losses such as independence or income.

Vocational rehabilitation

Rehabilitative services focusing on returning to gainful employment, which may include help locating a new job or mode of transportation.

Supportive devices

Devices used to stabilize a body part, such as a leg brace or wrist support.

Assistive devices

Tools used to help a person perform tasks, such as crutches for walking or long-handled brushes for grooming.

Prosthetic devices

Artificial replacements for missing body parts.

Frailty

A condition of being more frail, often due to aging, which increases the risk of falls, disability, hospitalization, nursing home admission, and death.

Built-up handles

An assistive device used for grooming or eating tools to make them easier to grip.

Plate guard

An assistive device used for eating to prevent food from being pushed off the plate.

Buttonholer

An assistive device used for grooming to help an individual secure buttons.

IADL

Instrumental activities of daily living; everyday life functions that are a focus of occupational therapy.