Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Clinical service overview

The service supports rehabilitation to meet the needs of people with severe brain injuries resulting from trauma, stroke and other medical causes of acquired brain injury.

The ABI Rehabilitation Service has 42 single-bed rooms, designed to be comfortable for people while undertaking rehabilitation as an inpatient.

The ABI Rehabilitation Centre is also comprised of:

• 4 bed transitional living service
• ABI community rehabilitation service
• ABI Transitional Living service

The service offers a range of specialised features as part of the following areas:

Ward environment

The ward environment within the service contains lounges, dining and activity rooms to support socialisation and daily group programs that are held for therapy and recreation activities. There is a family lounge which is a dedicated space to ensure family and other carers are also well-supported, educated and engaged with the rehabilitation program. There are also three internal courtyards which feature a horticultural garden, sports facility including basketball court and table tennis as well as the unit BBQ.

Interdisciplinary rehabilitation and therapy area

This tailored area provides best practice interdisciplinary rehabilitation where all specialist disciplines will work on supporting people to achieve their rehabilitation goals. This area is for both inpatient and outpatient therapy.

The features:

• The mini-mobility courtyard is a place where patients can practice navigating a range of different outdoor surfaces, with the support of a therapist
• A gym and rehabilitation kitchen
• Technology room – where assistive technology can be prescribed, trialed, and utilised for rehabilitation and independence
• Multiple consulting and interview spaces plus group therapy and meeting rooms

Discharge preparation suite

The centre includes a supported environment on the ward with separate lounge, laundry and kitchen. This area assists people to practice daily living and social skills before leaving the hospital environment. People are able to practice skills for building independence with the support of allied health and nursing staff.

Service model

The ABI Rehabilitation Centre and Transitional Living Service, will ensure that people recovering from severe brain injuries have the very best chance of a meaningful recovery.

Key principles

• The service will be guided by the following key principles:
• A focus on early transfer of patients from acute hospitals to rehabilitation
• Comprehensive interdisciplinary, evidence based, model of care focusing on person centred rehabilitation to achieve functional goals
• Integrated inpatient and community rehabilitation programs with patients receiving ongoing therapy and care in the least restrictive environment to promote independence
• Community rehabilitation service providing long term management and support, in partnership with local services, focusing on lifelong, evolving needs of people with an ABI.
• Extensive family/ carer and patient education and engagement in the process

Excellence in care

The service will be underpinned by a culture of patient safety, excellence in service delivery and continuous quality improvement through the use of current, and emerging, evidence in clinical practice. An active research program will also underpin the service model, ensuring ongoing service evaluation and the development and translation of new evidence into practice.

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