Therapy Environment Essay

The environment is a valuable addition as a treatment providing not only a modality for treatment, but adds to patient and staff satisfaction for the psychosocial benefits and meaningful participation opportunities it provides. The outdoor environment can provide opportunities for the therapists to address goals in a different context, address, and new goal areas such as leisure skills, addressing challenges in a controlled environment and providing real life situations in which to address goals. The design of the environment in the context of rehabilitation, however is unique, as the needs of the patient population who might be using the space independently must be balance with the needs of the therapy professionals who are using it for …show more content…
The designer must consider the balance of location with the inclusion or exclusion of elements, the abilities of current patients and the ability of the space to adapt to the needs of future patients; as well as the experience and comfort level of staff with the use of plant material as a part of …show more content…
The reliance on the supervisory personnel to notify and encourage participation from the therapy staff, and the researcher’s inability to follow up with those individuals directly, was also limiting. Unfortunately, not all staff utilized out of facility email; and in numerous facilities, therapy staff did not have personal work phones, but used common phones in office areas, clinics or therapy gyms. In other situations when a phone number was provided, the number was non-operational due to lack of use. It’s possible that in the future, providing an advance letter introducing the study may assist with response; or identifying a key person within the facility who might encourage and facilitate participation would prove helpful. While the researcher’s knowledge of the general subject and the context of inpatient rehabilitation provided a positive influence, inexperience with research, and the interview process, could have influenced the outcome. Involving others with more experience, might serve to positively influence the response