Physical rehabilitation facilities.

Abstract

Many professions are involved in the rehabilitation process of persons who incur significant physical disabilities. Physical rehabilitation facilities feature multidisciplinary teams that rely on interdisciplinary knowledge to inform clinical practice. These teams typically include physiatrists (physicians specializing in rehabilitation medicine), nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, audiologists, vocational counselors, recreational therapists, social workers, and psychologists, depending on the particular setting. Throughout its long involvement in rehabilitation, clinical psychology brings unique expertise in theory, research, and skill that benefit rehabilitation.In this chapter, we provide a brief history of clinical psychology in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) settings, and we describe influential events, individuals, and developments that shaped the role of clinical psychology in physical rehabilitation facilities. We summarize the unique contributions and activities of psychologists in these settings and the competencies that constitute best practice. We conclude with an overview of the present status and future directions of psychologists in rehabilitation.

Depression and health-related quality of life among persons with sensory disabilities in a health professional shortage area.

“…This includes assistive technologies and services that can promote overall quality of life of individuals with sensory disabilities. ACA initiatives may provide rehabilitation psychologists with new roles in “developing, administering and evaluating innovative community and home-based services that promote the health, function and participation of individuals with disability” (Elliott & Andrews, in press).…”

Afterword.

“…For rehabilitation psychology as a discipline to benefit from understanding the complex changes ahead, individual rehabilitation psychologists must be willing to take the risk of assuming leadership positions in health care entities. This may be difficult for colleagues who are committed to organizational structures and institutional settings that limit their practice and scholarship and relegate their roles to the traditional rehabilitation enterprise (Elliott & Andrews, 2016). New alliances and collaborations with other professions may be necessary.…”

Hither and thither: How do we innovate?

“…Patterson used hypnosis to address burn pain in the rehabilitation setting, and more recently has applied hypnosis and virtual reality technologies for pain management (Patterson, 2010). Elliot and Andrews have demonstrated the importance of alleviating stress and distress in caregivers for persons with severe disability, and has shown that nondoctoral providers can provide intervention effectively by telephone (Elliott & Andrews, 2016).…”