The human body and mind are fascinating things. We are so complex that we do so much more of our developing after we are born than most other creatures in the animal kingdom do. We are made to endure and process so much, and our systems are designed to be incredibly resilient. However there are some things that we are unable to simply bounce back from, and in those cases, in order to attempt to return to the full and capable beings we are meant to be, different forms of therapy may be necessary, whether that therapy is for physical tasks, helping to develop speech, or occupational in nature.
Understanding different forms of rehabilitation services
Restorative care can be a broad term for any number of types of therapy for relearning skills and actions. A good rehabilitation team will work together with the patient to rebuild from scratch if necessary, the ability to perform everyday functions and tasks, with a goal of being able to carry them out as independently as possible. For some, going to some sort of therapy seven days a week can be the most beneficial and an efficient way to getting them back to where they want to be as quickly as possible. But the timeline for recovery does depend on several different factors, ranging from the type of injury or illness sustained, the type of therapy needed, and even the personality of the individual who is fighting to get their body or mind back.
- So what are the different types of therapy?
- Physical therapy
Physical therapy is necessary for those patients who have endured some sort of accident, surgery, or health issue that makes it difficult to move around in order to complete daily functions. If a patient is attending physical therapy seven days a week, they will likely be performing a variety of different activities designed to relieve pain and restore basic capabilities of the body as well as improving his or her fitness level, balance, flexibility or strength. The overall goal here is for the individual to be able to better move around. - Speech therapy
Speech therapy could cover any number of communication issues. Some patients who utilize speech therapy are born with a disorder of some kind that affects their ability to communicate properly. There are other patients who have undergone a surgery or are recovering from an illness or injury that affected their brain in such a way that they must relearn some elements of speech. Elements that might be part of the rebuilding process might include language, memory, swallowing, or voice repair. - Occupational therapy
Occupational therapists work closely with their physical and speech therapy counterparts, as the occupational field of therapy is a bit broader in scope. A patient in need of occupational therapy will be working on building the everyday skills necessary to function in their life, work, and in society. It may be necessary to adapt the environment or alter a task, or the focus may need to be on the teaching and repetition of a skill or the education of the individual’s family and others who live or work in close proximity to him or her.
There are countless types and techniques within the field of therapy, but many can be boiled down to fit into one of three: physical, speech, or occupational.
Some patients can get by with occasional visits to his or her therapist, while other individuals may need to attend therapy seven days a week. Still others have a more severe condition that requires them to stay in a nursing home, or a convalescent home, where they have constant assistance and supervision in attempting everyday tasks and skills.
While it can be frustrating for many individuals to be patient with themselves as they relearn and rebuild basic skills and functions that were at one point second nature to them, participating in therapy seven days a week can speed up the recovery process if enough hard work and commitment is invested.
