This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Ellul, J. Articles by Rowe, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Ellul, J. Articles by Rowe, J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Increasing patient engagement in rehabilitation activities

University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Liverpool University Hospital PO Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK

C. Watkins

University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

N. Ferguson

University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

D. Barer

University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

J. Rowe

Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool

Despite evidence that intensive rehabilitation speeds recovery from acute illness, several studies on British rehabilitation units have shown that the time spent by patients in therapeutic activities is low and that levels of 'engagement' are poor. We carried out an observational study of patient activity on four rehabilitation wards for the elderly (51 patients observed at half-hourly intervals between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on five successive days).

Patients were found to be engaged in therapeutically useful activities at only 17% of the observation points. When time spent in the therapy departments (where activities were not monitored) was excluded the proportion of useful activities fell to 11%. Similar patterns of activity were seen in all patient subgroups.

An intervention scheme was therefore devised, whereby an hourly activities programme tailored to the needs of each patient was worked out by therapists and ward staff, to be supervised by nurses. One nurse also organized regular group activities. The intervention programme, which required no extra resources, was instituted on two of the four wards.

A repeat survey conducted two months later showed a 55% increase in the proportion of time spent in useful activities on the two intervention wards but no change on the other two wards.

Clinical Rehabilitation, Vol. 7, No. 4, 297-302 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/026921559300700405


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. T Newall, V. A Wood, R. L. Hewer, and D. J Tinson Development of a neurological rehabilitation environment: an observational study Clinical Rehabilitation, May 1, 1997; 11(2): 146 - 155. [Abstract] [PDF]