IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ACUTE INPATIENT REHABILITATION CAREGIVER TRAINING

Abstract

Hospitals and rehabilitation centers around the world have been impacted by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Lockdown measures and strict quarantine from the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in health care delivery to our patients. Additionally, the increased bed availability for Covid positive patients resulted in many rehabilitation beds being converted to acute medical beds. It also changed visitor policies to the hospital, which meant caregivers were completely absent and unavailable for the usual traditional in-person learning and training. We aim to describe barriers of discharging patients safely home during this pandemic and propose potential virtual and hybrid solutions to aid in training for safe discharges home for all hospitalized patients.

Keywords

• caregiver family training
• rehabilitation
• telemedicine