COVID-19 creating challenges in a rehabilitation facility in Australia: A discussion paper

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges and alterations to long-standing procedures within rehabilitation facilities. These updates of the processes undertaken by staff in such settings have been radical and ongoing. COVID-19 impact on the healthcare system should never be underestimated nor under appreciated. The impact that this pandemic has had on rehabilitation care is unique. This has been the catalyst to identifying significant challenges and subsequent changes within rehabilitation and mental health practices. Social measures that have been implemented in the community have had exaggerated and magnified effects both on the physical and mental wellbeing of rehabilitation and mental health patients. Over the course of these adaptations and implementations, impacts on communication, mental health, workload and care efficiencies were identified and explored. This paper is unique because different disciplines have shared their experiences of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and how they provide rehabilitation. The paper will focus on the communication challenges using masks, not being able to engage families and carers, restriction of group therapies, social isolation of patients and healthcare workers while adhering to guidelines set by NSW Health (Sydney, Australia).