Join forces for patients with acquired brain injury
van Erp, W., Visser-Meily, A., Lindhout, M., & Meijer, J.
8 September 2022Introduction
The treatment of patients with acquired brain injury is fragmented. It would be much better for these patients if the doctors involved – rehabilitation doctors and geriatric specialists – integrated their offer.
Fatima, a sporty 42-year-old woman who lives alone and works full-time as a management secretary, suffers a brain hemorrhage. She has a half-sided paralysis on the left and cognitive impairment. On day four, her alertness deteriorates, which turns out to be the result of a hydrocephalus.
A drain is placed, which hardly improves anything. Two weeks later, the paralysis is unchanged and Fatima can sit in a wheelchair for a maximum of half an hour at a time.
The rehabilitation doctor does not consider her suitable for medical specialist rehabilitation. The geriatric specialist admits her: Fatima ends up in a department for geriatric rehabilitation. The first weeks she remains moderately alert and develops a pointed foot, which makes standing very difficult. Three months after the stroke, she is able to mobilize in the wheelchair all day long, but still needs a lot of care; Dismissal home is not an issue. However, the time available for rehabilitation is over, while Fatima is ready for it right now.