Recognizing The Vital Role Of Rehabilitation Professionals In Helping SW Florida's Injured Recover

As personal injury lawyers who have worked for years helping injured clients recover from crashes, we understand the long-term challenges facing the seriously injured. Long after the dust has settled from an accident, a seriously injured person may require ongoing rehabilitation to get their personal independence back and move forward with life. This rehabilitation is only possible with ongoing hard work, dedication, and support of rehab professionals, and the medical community as a whole. This week in September has been designated as National Rehabilitation Awareness Week by the National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation (NRAF).

National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

National Rehabilitation Awareness Week was created to highlight the important work that rehabilitation professionals perform for the community, and the challenges each patient must face as they recover.

Whether it's from an auto accident, another injury, or a scheduled surgery, anyone at some point in their life may need the support of a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech-language pathologist. The work of rehab professionals is indispensable and provides immeasurable health and quality of life benefits. These specialists help people regain movement and physical independence, allowing the patients in their care, to move past the injuries and return to an activity they love and more.

During this week All Injuries Law Firm asks the community to express appreciation for the rehabilitation experts and assistants who work as physical, occupational, cardiac and speech therapists. These therapists provide excellent healing techniques to help their patients through different advanced methods from traditional medical practices to more therapeutic programs that help with range of motion and gently improve physical capability. For example, rehabilitation therapists may use modern yoga, mental health and nutritional counseling as part of a custom program created for their patients.

The History of Rehabilitation, and National Rehabilitation Week

The National Rehabilitation Week began in 1976 by a Pennsylvania company called Allied Service. This company promoted the value of medical professionals who help those with disabilities and others affected by disease or injury. In the 60’s and 70’s the demand for rehab services grew and schools started, around the country training people to become occupational therapists to help those who are disabled or recovering from illness.

Rehabilitation as a profession itself is much older with speech therapy having been practiced as early as the 1700s. What we would consider as modern rehabilitation though, actually began after World War 1, in an effort to help injured soldiers recover from their terrible injuries and trauma.

How To Observe National Rehabilitation Week

More than 50% of Americans will utilize the services of a rehabilitation specialist, take a moment to learn about how many issues rehab professionals can help.

Help spread awareness on social media by sharing the hashtasg #RehabilitationAwarenessWeek or #Rehabweek.

The Power of Medical Rehabilitation

Clinically comparable patients who stayed at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital instead of a skilled nursing facility, on average:

• Returned home 2 weeks earlier
• Remained home nearly 2 months longer
• Had 5% fewer emergency room visits per year
• Showed an 8% lower mortality rate

Inpatient rehabilitation treatment also resulted in patients who had significantly fewer hospital readmissions for the following diagnostic conditions including:

• pain syndrome
• brain injury
• major medical complexity
• hip fracture
• amputation.

Inpatient rehabilitation is crucial in the care, treatment and recovery of individuals with disabling injuries and illnesses such as stroke, brain and spinal cord injuries, respiratory disease, cancer, joint replacement, and many others. At All Injuries we support the work rehabilitation specialists provide to the community. These specialists provide patients with therapy solutions and give them a path to a healthier life. As highly trained health care professionals, Physical Therapists possess expertise in movement and exercise. Such skills and knowledge are essential when dealing with patients facing the complexities of aging.

How recognizing National Rehabilitation Awareness week can help you.

Consider the following tips for a healthier lifestyle in support of rehabilitation professionals:

• Get moving - exercise on a daily basis to maintain a healthy body and mind.
• Stay Social - Make an effort to see or call old friends and make new ones as well. Maybe take a class.
• Stay Balanced - Work towards improving your flexibility. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress levels.
• Sleep well - It is essential to your health to make sure you get enough sleep everyday.

Rehab Therapy & Personal Injury Law

If you have been hurt in a crash and involved in a personal injury lawsuit your lawyer will be gathering and calculating the current and future expenses required to recover from your injury as part of representing your case. A rehabilitation expert’s analysis will be used as evidence in your personal injury case to prove damages, and explain to the court the financial impact the rehab therapy will have on finances and quality of life. In the event your case goes to trial, the specialist may testify as an expert witness about your occupational skill set and wage-earning capacity and losses.

At All Injuries we have experience partnering with rehabilitation specialists and other expert witnesses to win settlements and verdicts for our clients.

To learn more about how a rehabilitation expert can help to strengthen your personal injury case contact All Injuries Law Firm today for a free case evaluation.