Regardless of how it’s endured, sustaining a neurological injury of any kind often takes its toll on various aspects of our mental and physical health, since it commonly affects the nervous system.
A neurological injury typically refers to damage to the brain, spinal cord or nerves, and is a common consequence of sport-related or vehicle-related accidents, or a fall that may have occurred as a result of muscle/bone weakness.
Although brain cells cannot regenerate once destroyed, our brain’s ability to grow and re-wire (neuroplasticity) means that the undamaged brain cells can start to develop new nerve pathways. This, combined with professional support, allows the brain to start the recovery process and – once again – perform necessary functions lost as a result of the injury.
Since the nervous system is directly affected in a neurological injury, a holistic, varied approach to treatment is necessary to help the mind and body restore to a state of equilibrium.
At Askham Rehab, we approach treatment of neurological injuries with a series of steps that, when combined with a person-centred care plan, serve to provide the best possible chances of recovery.
Treating a Neurological Injury at Askham Rehab: The First Stage
Before we can treat anybody, regardless of the severity of their injury, our specialist team at Askham Rehab will complete a full neurological assessment to help devise a personal care plan. This falls within all disciplines, and includes conducting advanced assessments and skills by specialist therapists.
The results obtained from these assessments help us to identify deficits and issues within a problem list. At Askham Rehab, it is our priority to ensure that we take an inclusive approach to treatment; so, we then work with the resident and their families to establish joint goals for recovery.
The Next Step Towards Recovery: Identifying Treatment Programmes
Once we have conducted all necessary initial assessments, treatment programmes are identified for each discipline. We will then pull together a personalised timetable of therapy and activities; this is devised to ensure that rehabilitation is offered around the clock, and that it is delivered in an engaging way.
Although we take a series of specialised steps towards recovery, no two treatment programmes are the same; they are person-centred and tailored to individual needs, following the in-depth assessments.
Therapy: The Recovery Process
Once all necessary information has been gathered, including assessment results and identifying personal needs, a therapy programme is put in place. Therapy is a combination of all disciplines where appropriate, and includes joint sessions. Robotic therapy becomes particularly useful in this case, since all four disciplines are able to work collaboratively.
In this case, robotic rehabilitation can help coordinate bodily functions, and help the muscles to remain active whilst the nervous system rebuilds itself. This helps to prevent muscle deterioration, which commonly occurs when remaining inactive over a period of time.
This year at Askham Rehab, we’ve been fortunate to integrate robotic-led rehabilitation into our person-centred bespoke services; take a look at our previous article to discover how it could help you, or a loved one. <insert link>
Alternatively, to find out more about our rehabilitation services, please do browse our website.