24-12-2012, 02:13 PM
REHABILITATION
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Introduction
Rehabilitation includes all measures aimed at reducing the impact of disability for an individual, enabling him or her to achieve independence, social integration, a better quality of life and self – actualization. Rehabilitation can no longer be seen as a product to be dispensed; rather rehabilitation should be offered as a process in which all participants are actively and closely involved.
Disability
Any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.
However, definitions/concepts of all relevant disabilities are given below:-
• Blindness
A condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions namely:
• Total absence of sight or
• Visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses; or
• Limitation of the field vision subtending anangle of 20 degree or worse.
• Person with low vision
A person with impairment of visual functioning even after treatment or standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning or execution of a task with appropriate assistive device.
• Cerebral Palsy
A group of non-progressive conditions characterized by abnormal motor control posture resulting from brain insult or injuries occurring in the peri- natal, neo-natal or infant period of development.
• Hearing impairment
Loss of sixty decibels or more in the better ear in the conversational range of frequencies.
• Leprosy cured person
Any person who has been cured of leprosy but is suffering from- loss of sensation in hands or feet as well as loss of sensation and paresis in the eye- lid but with no manifest deformity; manifest deformity and paresis but having sufficient mobility in their hands and feet to enable them to engage in normal economic activity; extreme physical deformity as well as advanced age which prevents him from undertaking any gainful occupation.
• Locomotor disability
Disability of the bones, joint or muscles leading to substantial restriction of the movement of the limbs or a usual form of cerebral palsy. Some common conditions giving raise to locomotor disability could be poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, amputation, injuries of spine, head, soft tissues, fractures, muscular dystrophies etc.
• Mental illness
Any mental disorder other than mental retardation
• Mental retardation
A condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind of a person which is specially characterized by sub-normality of intelligence i.e.cognitive, language, motor and social abilities
• Autism
A condition of uneven skill development primarily affecting the communication and social abilities of a person, marked by repetitive and ritualistic behaviour.
• Multiple Disability
A combination of two or more disabilities as defined in clause (i) of section 2 of the Person with disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation)Act 1995 namely Blindness/low vision Speech and Hearing impairement Locomotor disability including leprosy cured Mental retardation and Mental illness
• Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia)
Affect persons ability to acquire, process, and/or use either, spoken, read, written or nonverbal information( organization/planning, functional literacy skills, memory, reasoning, problem solving, perceptual skills) or in other words in short- difficulty with language in its various uses ( not always reading).
• Impairment
Missing or defective body part, an amputated limb, paralysis after polio, restricted pulmonary capacity, diabetes, nearsightedness, mental retardation, limited hearing capacity, facial disfigurement or other abnormal condition.
• Disabilities
As a result of an impairment may involve difficulties in walking, seeing, speaking, hearing, reading, writing, counting, lifting, or taking interest in and making one’s surrounding.
• Temporary Total Disability - Period in which the affected person is totally unable to work. During this period, he may receive orthopaedic, opthalmological, auditoryor speech any other medical treatment.
• Temporary partial Disability - Period when recovery has reached the stage of improvement so that person may began some kind of gainful occupation.
• Permanent Disability - Permanent damage or loss of use of some part/parts of the body after the stage of maximum improvement [from any medical treatment] has been reached and the condition is stationary.
• Handicap
A disability becomes a handicap when it interferes with doing what is expected at a particular time in one’s life.
• Rehabilitation
Refers to a process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric or social functional levels;
Principle
Rehabilitation is an integral part of nursing.
1. Rehabilitation should begin during the initial contact with the patient.
2. Restoring the patient to independence or the regain his pre – illness / pre disability level of function in as short a time as possible .
3. Maximizing independence within the limits of disability.
4. Realise goals based on individual patient assessment and to guide the rehabilitation Programme.
5. He must be a active participant .
6. The activities of daily living are facilitated.
7. The individual with a disability is encouraged to wear his own clothing – enhances self – esteem and dignity .
8. Motivates the patient and helps him to attain social independence.
9. Focus is on the needs of groups of people with specific condition
10. Every patient has a right to the rehabilitation services