Sunshine Coast residents with brain and spinal cord injuries have access to a new clinic, to help improve day-to-day life.
Following a successful pilot, Sunshine Coast Health has announced ongoing funding for the Neuro Intensive Rehabilitation and Complex Concussion Clinic, to provide day rehabilitation for people with neurological injuries such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and concussion.People experiencing disabilities related to nervous system damage can safely live at home, while receiving treatment from the the Neuro Intensive Rehab program at Sunshine Coast University Hospital. The program offers holistic and specialised neuro-rehabilitation from a multidisciplinary team, working together to restore the patient’s function.
The Complex Concussion Clinic is also fully funded and provides rehabilitation for patients experiencing new concussion or persistent post-concussive symptoms, with 86 per cent achieving significant functional recovery and returning to their usual life roles after a block of outpatient treatment.
Sunshine Coast Health medical director rehab Dr Elizabeth Grosso said via a media release that the pilot saw 130 patients complete the program and they experienced significant improvements in their day-to-day life.
“These injuries have a major impact on independence and quality of life,” she said.
“It’s incredibly valuable to be able to offer people intensive rehab in a day setting because they get to go home at the end of the day, see their family, sleep in their own bed, and practice their daily tasks in the context of their real life.”
Executive director medical services Dr Marlene Pearce said the clinic had received significant positive feedback.
“We asked all of the patients to give us feedback on the clinic and how much it benefited their function in day-to-day life and 100 per cent of the 130 patients provided positive feedback on ability, adjustment and participation after injury,” she said.
Sunshine Coast Health was one of five health services in Queensland identified to participate in the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (BaSCI) project, with the health service committing to ongoing funding of the service.
Tin Can Bay resident Nemani Ranuve was crossing the street after a night out in Gympie when he was hit by a scooter in December.
He was taken to a Brisbane Hospital, where he spent almost five weeks in a coma.
He was in rehabilitation in hospital for seven months, before returning home earlier this month.“There’s no place like home I reckon. And it’s much better to know that mum is off the road all the time, not driving to Brisbane,” he said.
His mother Jill said their first port of call was McDonald’s.“It was great, a very emotional day, because we didn’t think we would get there but we did and it’s been great,” she said.“We started rehab here the following Monday and it has been amazing.
“The staff have been wonderful to Nemani and I, and we are looking forward to him improving while we are here.”Mr Ranuve attends the clinic four days a week.
