Goal-oriented and individualized home-based rehabilitation in the chronic phase of traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Introduction: Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) experience long-term consequences of the injury and need long-term support from health care services. The consequences are complex and heterogeneous and may limit physical, cognitive, emotional, and social activities. Goal-oriented and individualized home-based rehabilitation is an appropriate approach for individuals living at home with long-term activity limitations after TBI. Main part: Based on a recently completed research project, this article describes a SMART-goal and action planning approach based on patient-reported problem areas for home dwelling individuals with ongoing activity limitations in the chronic phase of TBI. Collaboration with municipal health-resources and other outside collaborators was established for 53% of the participants. Acceptability was high for both participants and family members. The research project has shown that goal-oriented and individualized home-based rehabilitation improves health-related quality of life and reduces symptom burden and anxiety in the chronic phase of TBI. Sum up: This article has exemplified how individualized goal-oriented rehabilitation can be carried out for individuals living at home with long-term activity limitations after TBI. Even after several years, the physical, cognitive, emotional and social activity limitations can be improved by individualized and goal-oriented evidence-based rehabilitation. The SMART-goal and action planning approach is well suited to strengthen the collaboration between the municipality and the specialist health care service.

Keywords

• goal-oriented rehabilitation
• traumatic brain injury
• chronic phase of tbi