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Independence & Self-Care Education

Regaining independence and self-care ability after the illness or injury is one of the main goals of rehabilitation. Self-care interventions typically involve five areas of mobility and self-care education: incidental activity, exercise, regaining activities of daily living (ADLs), appropriate supervision, and environmental (home) modifications.

Incidental Activity Training

Incidental activity training involves activities where physical activity occurs as part of regular daily routines, such as dressing, toileting, and mobility. You will be encouraged to dress independently, sit out of bed or get out of bed and move around with supervision and assistance, eat meals out of your bed, and walk to the toilet.

Exercise

You can take part in exercise programs in both individual and group settings and may involve strength, balance, end endurance exercises.

Retrieving ADLs

Your ability to live independently relies on retrieving the skills in activities of daily living. Your independence and self-care education may involve assistance in retraining your ADLs skills, occupational therapy, ensuring aids and additional self-care strategies, removing mobility or self-care obstacles, decluttering your living space, etc.

Supervision & Home Modifications

You will most likely need supervision while transferring from the hospital to your home or long-care facility. The supervision may be reduced as your medical condition stabilizes and you get familiar with the environment and equipment.

Environment modifications involve ensuring obstacles to self-care and mobility are removed, ensuring that tools and aids for mobility and self-care are well-maintained, clearing the environment, remodeling and updating your bathroom and/or kitchen, etc.