Henn, M. J.; Mji, Gubela; Visagie, Surona
suffered a spinal cord injury requires an intensive rehabilitation program to achieve
physical independence as well as reintegration into the community.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the rehabilitation program for patients with
complete paraplegia at the Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital, a 120 bed private
rehabilitation facility in Johannesburg, where rehabilitation for patients with physical
disabilities is offered by an interdisciplinary team.
The rehabilitation program was evaluated in terms of effectiveness including the degree
of physical independence the patients achieved and how well the program prepared
patients for successful integration into the community.
The Functional Independence Measure (FIM), a standardized outcome measure that
measures certain physical and cognitive functions and the Needs Assessment Checklist
(NAC), an instrument designed to assess if the rehabilitation program is geared towards
the patients’ individual needs were used as outcome measure. FIM scores were
determined on admission and discharge and NAC scores were determined at discharge.
A convenient, consecutive sample of sixteen patients with complete paraplegia (ASIA
A), with a neurological level between T1 and T12, formed the study population.
Consistently high FIM and NAC scores in the area of physical functioning suggested that
the rehabilitation program at Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital was effective in terms of
providing patients with physical independence. However, NAC results showed that the
patients were not completely ready to reintegrate back to their communities. Areas that
were identified as particularly problematic were knowledge on follow up health care services in the community, readiness for work and accessibility of the home and work
Therefore it is recommended that the rehabilitation team re-evaluate the program and
incorporate strategies with the aim to improve it’s effectiveness in terms of preparing
patients for community reintegration. It is also recommended that further research is
conducted to assess the current success rate with regards to community reintegration and
determine challenges to re-integration in order to assist with program panning. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Spinaalkoordbesering is ‘n skielike oorsaak van gestremdheid wat die persoon verlam
en afhanklik van sorg laat direk na die voorval. ‘n Persoon wat ‘n spinalkoordbesering
opdoen benodig ‘n intensiewe rehabilitasie program om weer fisies onafhanklik te wees
en ook om hom/haar voor te berei om weer by die gemeenskap in te skakel.
Die doel van hierdie studie was om die rehabilitasie program by die Netcare Rehabilitasie
Hospitaal, ‘n 120 bed private rehabilitasie fasiliteit in Johannesburg, waar rehabilitasie
vir fisies gestremde persone deur ‘n interdissiplinere span aangebied word, te evalueer.
Die program is geevalueer in terme van twee uitkomste naamlik, die graad van fisiese
onafhanklikheid wat die pasiënte behaal en tot watter mate die program pasiente
voorberei vir herintegrasie in die gemeenskap
Die “Functional Independence Measure” (FIM), ‘n gestandaardiseerde uitkoms skaal wat
sekere fisiese en kognitiewe funksies meet en die “Needs Assessment Checklist” (NAC),
`n instrument wat ontwikkel is om te evalueer of rehabilitasie programme pasiente se
spesifieke behoeftes aanspreek. Is gebruik om the rehabilitasie program te evalueer. Die
FIM is met toelating en ontslag voltooi en die NAC is met ontslag voltooi.
‘n Steekproef van sestien pasiente met volledige spinaalkoordletsels (ASIA A) tussen T1
en T12 het die studie populasie gevorm.
Deurgans hoë FIM en NAC tellings vir fisiese funksionering het daarop gedui dat die
rehabilitasie program by die Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital effektief is in terme van
fisiese onafhanklikheid van pasiente. Aan die ander kant het die NAC tellings daarop
gedui dat die program minder suksesvol is wat betref die voorbereiding van pasiente vir
gemeeskapsintegrasie. Spesifieke probleem areas sluit in kennis van waar om opvolg
gesondheidssorg in die gemeenskap te bekom, gereedheid vir werk en toeganklikheid van
die huis en werksomgewing. Daar word aanbeveel dat die rehabilitasie span by Netcare Rehabilitasie Hospitaal die
program herevalueer om die effektiwiteit van die program in terme van die voorbereiding
vir gemeenskaps herintegrasie te verbeter. Dit word ook aanbeveel dat ‘n opvolg studie
gedoen word om die huidige sukses ten opsigte van gemeenskaps herintegrasie te
evalueer en sruikelblokke te identifiseer ten einde die span the help met program
Thesis (MSc (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Masters Degrees (Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy) 
﻿ Rhoda, Anthea Joy
﻿ De Wet, Caroline
﻿ Liebenberg, Handri
﻿ Parker, S.
(physical, emotional, social and psychological). ...
﻿ Pillay, Rogini
Evaluation of the functional rehabilitation outcomes of clients after receiving physical rehabilitation at TC Newman community day centre
﻿ Felix, Rochelle Karen
Parental compliance with therapy home programmes within a school for learners with special educational needs : an exploratory study
﻿ Melling-Williams, Natalie