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David, I run an outpatient amputee program and have about 16 patients on my caseload. As our program got known, and referrals increased, to maintain a 'no waitlist policy' I started buddying people up and doubling and tripling treatment times. Though this created a different job stress for me, the undeniable benefits to the clients were: 1. new amputees get to see what more established amputees are physically doing, 2. opportunity to network with each other over time which is perhaps more beneficial than one peer visit, 3. an opportunity to share in the education process around prosthetic fit, problems, solutions etc.,; an opportunity to support each other when one is having a bad day, not feeling like they are making progress etc. 4. allows them to expand their horizons - too many amputees have people, including health care providers, telling them what they won't be able to do. Seeing someone at a high level of performance gives them permission to believe that they too may be able to achieve the same results 5. encourages a more independent client regarding their own progress and goals. When a group rehab class doesn't work, in my humble opionion, is when one therapist treates everyone at once, with everyone all doing the same exercise. Unless everyone is at the exact level of function and all are needing the same amount and intensity of exercise, this to me is inefficient use of the client's time. There must be the ability of the therapist to vary the input based on each person's individual needs - the same balance exercise is not appropriate for a brand new versus 3 month old amputee. This is a clinical decision based on constant assessment and analysis by a therapist and not an expectation of a rehabilitation assistant. Linda McLaren, PT Physiotherapist, Amputee Team GF Strong Rehab Center Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5Z 2G9 [log in to unmask] ----- Original Message ----- From: David <[log in to unmask]> To: 'Physio' <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 8:55 AM Subject: Benefits of Group Rehabilitation > I would appreciate thoughts on why a patient may consider group (class) > rehabilitation programmes to be beneficial. e.g. a group of 6-8 patients > in a lower limb rehab programme. > > Thanks in anticipation > > dave riddell > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%