What types of rehabilitation are there?

Author: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Shannon Sproule | Published: 25 September 2017 | Updated: ~

Rehabilitation may be provided in several forms based on the needs of the person and their environment.

Inpatient rehabilitation involves overnight stays and coordinated support in daily activities.²

Inpatient rehabilitation is when a person stays overnight at a rehabilitation centre. They receive full-day programming including medical, nursing, and therapy services and assistance with meals, bathing, and dressing. Inpatient rehabilitation is the most intensive type of rehabilitation.

Outpatient rehabilitation is when a person who is living in the community visits a rehab centre or clinic for regular services. Outpatient rehabilitation may be used by people who have already completed inpatient rehabilitation or do not need to stay overnight in rehab.

Specialized SCI rehabilitation programs may be available in larger communities in addition to more standard services. These programs offer SCI-specific services like special clinics for wheelchair seating, sexual health, and employment counselling.

Community-based rehabilitation involves receiving services from a community-run rehabilitation centre. These centres offer support for rehabilitation within a community-oriented local setting and may provide a wide variation of different services based on the centre, local environment, and healthcare system. Community-based rehabilitation is an important component of rehabilitation, especially in places where formal healthcare services are unavailable or inaccessible.