A home for intermediate rehab: A crucial step in medical care

By Divya Thotawatte 

‘The One Rehab and Healthcare’, an intermediate rehabilitation and elderly care centre, was recently opened to provide support for patients with ward-based professional services made affordable to meet the demand for most. 

Intermediate rehabilitation careincludes short-term and ward-based care services provided with the required support of a rehabilitation team to help patients in need of rehabilitation to achieve their maximum functional level. Intermediate rehabilitation care is an important stage in medical treatments, but it is not yet given enough focus within the Sri Lankan medical industry, said Clinical Lead Physiotherapist and The One Rehab and Healthcare Director LS Dushyandan. 

He explained, “this is a very new concept in Sri Lanka. When a patient is discharged from a hospital following, let’s say, a surgery, he might be medically fit to go home. But he may still not function withinthe same level that he had prior to the hospitalisation. A longer period of care is needed to get back to his previous level of mobility. But sometimes, if key treatments are missed at home, it might end up affecting their mobility and functional levels. 

So our concept is to bring them under this intermediate ward-based rehabilitation care centre and provide then with the required therapies to make them functionally independent and better again.” He said that intermediate rehabilitation was an essential phase of medical care, especially after surgeries or treatment regarding issues related to mobility. Therefore, this rehabilitation centre would also contribute to spreading much-needed awareness about intermediate care while also making the services affordable to patients. 

Ministry of Health Additional Secretary Dr. Lakshmi Somatunga who also participated in the launch as the guest of honour said, “this centre is a necessity for the country because we don’t have a sufficient number of centres dedicated to rehabilitation care. This type of care is aiming at reducing a broad range of complications due to illnesses. Whether this is done by the government free of charge or by the private sector for a fee, people need it. I can see today that a comprehensive package is offered and those who can afford should come to this type of centre and get these services.”

The rehab team of this newly-launched centre provides about 35 qualified professionalsincluding doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, behavioural therapists and educational therapists. Alongside these short-term intermediate care services provided, ‘The One Rehab and Healthcare’ also includes long-term elderly care for senior citizens.  A fully-furnished and homely environment with wheelchair access, 32 individual rooms with attached washrooms and with/without AC and with fans, hospital beds/ queen-sized beds with or without air mattresses, 24/7 nursing attention, visitor beds and visitor chairs, three meals and morning and evening tea times, hot water facilities, restaurant area with home theatre, TV with cable connections, intercoms and WiFi, swimming pool, canal view garden, room maintenance, and parking facilities are  among other facilities provided by ‘The One Rehab and Healthcare Home’.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara