Client-Centred Rehabilitation - Arthritis Community Research ...

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have family members or loved ones
who cared you would be in a world
of trouble laying in the bed... not to
get the right food or whatever like
that.” SCI #2
Just as clients mentioned they relied on their
family for support, clients also mentioned
the importance of their family members
receiving support. One client discussed the
importance of their family members
receiving assistance and guidance in dealing
with their loved one’s chronic condition:
“...Family members wanting
information. Family members
wanting support. In many cases
family members are very heavily
stressed looking after a relative who
got brain injury and looking is there
any relief? Is there any respite care?”
ABI #1
Peers were another important source of
emotional support that was strongly echoed
in all of the groups. Peers with similar
conditions are important sources of
motivation, mentoring, practical advice and
guidance on coping with ones conditions.
“When I was doing physio as I had
said before we worked in groups in
five and six and we were all
generally doing the same thing and I
don’t know how this would extend to
the year 2000 but being in a group of
people doing the same thing adds a
lot of camaraderie and I don’t know
if you bought the aerobics tape or
gone to the aerobics class but its a lot
easier to quit when its just you, the
t.v. and the tape than it is in the class
when the people are still doing their
exercises. To get people as a group
doing activity that makes it harder
for you stop quit, I think is very
important.” SCI #2
“It’s one of the best thing for me.
First of all, yes the exercise but it
was actually getting out, having a
place to go with people who had the
same things going on with them as I
did. I have learnt... I just wanted so
much from people I’ve come into
contact with... Right now I’m
learning. You’re not the only one
going through it. You’re great. To do
it by myself I would never do it. Go
in there with somebody....” ARTH
#3
While both the above quotes come from
individuals with different chronic
conditions, the common element between
the two is how peers in rehabilitation not
only provide motivation to participate, but to
continue the rehabilitation process.
Many clients talked about the emotional
support they received from their peers.
“And then you in a group or
strangers and yes when you see the
rotation it gets comfortable, but
when you’re at the first level it very
scary and who better than a listener
to make you feel at home and they
ask you, and a new face, and wow,
got a friend here. And then
afternoon, oh you want to talk to me,
oh right let’s talk.” COPD #2
Mentoring took the form of certain
individuals providing support in daily living
and community re-integration. Participants
were overwhelmingly positive as to the
importance of peer support in rehabilitation,
and felt that these relationships should be
encouraged and facilitated throughout the
rehabilitation process.