Rehabilitation is a group of petitions helping a person in recovering from health conditions and to be independent in daily activities. Main role of rehabilitation is reactivating an individual’s normal life and independence while also enhancing purpose of life. Online rehab is also known as e-rehabilitation which is a type of rehabilitation delivered online by enabling patients to acquire cure and medication remotely. Online rehab involves online therapy sessions on the phone via; Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, and online support groups that provide fully qualified professionals. It is helpful for those who want to get therapy sessions without going away from their loved ones. The new substitute for rehabilitation centers is to connect with online rehab professionals and get therapy sessions at home within your comfort zone.
Online mental health appointments are more convenient to patients, and video technology makes therapy sessions interactive and beneficial for patients without traveling to a clinic. Research shows that online rehab and online therapy programs are better than in-person rehabilitation because of the convenience of regular attendance in therapy sessions.
Benefits of Online Rehab:
Online support programs come with many benefits:
Availability: Online rehabilitation services make addiction therapy more approachable than ever. The resources in virtual rehabilitation are available daily 24/7, only by signing in your therapy session at a given time.
Convenience: It is very convenient to get therapy sessions at home in your quite space without any disturbance.
It’s an easy way to start: Virtual therapy sessions help you to start your recovery journey by taking a first step online without getting in a meeting of strangers by helping in eradicate the fear of accepting your problem.
Economical: Online rehabilitation is very economical because it is free of transport charges, if you have an internet connection you are good to go.
Licensed Professionals: Online support programs always offer licensed mental health therapists that ensure complete recovery with care.
Security: They offer complete security so that individuals may feel confident while discussing sensitive issues of their lives.
Step-by-step Guide to Preparing for Online Rehab
Preparing for online rehab is essential to making sure that you receive proper and accurate care. Following are the steps to prepare yourself for online rehabilitation.
· Step 1: Research and Choose the Right Program: The first step in online rehab is to choose the right program for rehabilitation. You have to check out programs that have received positive feedback and endorsements from previous patients. Confirm whether the program has been recognized by specialized health care professionals or therapists. Make sure that program delivers online therapy sessions on user-friendly platforms (e.g., Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, etc.). Make sure that the program offers introductory assessments, individual therapy, or group sessions. Seek for extra offers such as; live chats, learning materials, and monitoring your progress. Verify whether the online program allows for a flexible schedule to meet your needs. Make sure all expenses are clearly disclosed; many programs provide a free initial consultation. Make your chance to learn about the program and ask any queries, to find out how attentive they are to help with your questions. Accreditation from online rehabilitation centers guarantees is reputable medical organization and satisfies all the requirements. Verify the experience of therapists, they should be qualified and hold the necessary licenses. There are some online rehab platforms including Talk Space, Rehubs, PT Genie, BetterHelp, Ria Health, and Amwell. Rehubs is a reputable online rehab center that offers comprehensive online rehabilitation services.
· Step 2: Consult with Healthcare Providers: Health care providers are qualified to assess your health and provide the best kind of therapy. Professionals ensure about that you receive efficient care by staying up to date on the most recent innovations in the field of rehabilitation. Health care professional with personalized care based on the base of your present health and mental state. To develop take into complete rehab plan, they take achealth, on all facets of your health including your emotional, mental and physical health. Therapists are able to determine any contraindications to our disease and suggest related course of therapy. They make sure the rehabilitation techniques you have been prescribed are safe and appropriate for you.
A complete medical assessment of your health history and present health conditions are required. The therapist creates complete treatment plan on the basis of evaluation and requirements of your health. Select those online rehabilitation programs that are reliable, accredited and have a successful past performance. Research for therapists that possess the necessary training in your required field and arrange follow-up visit to access your recovery. It is significant to seek healthcare providers’ assistance when looking forward towards rehabilitation therapy. Several health conditions are treated under the knowledge and supervision of health specialists such as physical therapists, psychologists and occupational therapists. All these professional makes sure that therapy can be customized according to individual genetic patterns, needs, medical history, present condition of health and particular goals for recovery. Several medical assessments are done on an individual that are enduring rehabilitation therapy to evaluate their mental and physical health. Through these assessments health care professionals can easily discern any medical conditions, trauma, injury and complexities. Recommendations given on rehabilitation therapy are evidence-based practices approved by various scientific researches. Safe rehabilitation process can be secured by serial help of medical professions. Medical history, medical use and feasible contradictions considerations leads professionals towards the efficient rehabilitation interventions. Medical professional not only focus on physical factors but also on psychological, emotional and social elements. They also keep an eye on the progress of individual through monitoring his pain management, functional abilities and life’s quality. To maximize outcomes, they execute changes in treatment plans and deal with obstacles appear during rehabilitation process. Healthcare professionals also empower patient for self-management by motivating them to actively engage in the journey of recovery.
· Step 3: Set up a Supportive Environment: For a successful online rehabilitation experience, you need to set up supportive environment. This involves quit area for your meetings and steady internet connection to prevent any disturbance. Pick an area of your home that is noise free and comfortable to attend sessions. This may be peaceful area in your house, an extra room or a home office. Make sure the meeting area is away from busy parts of your house to reduce any distractions from your family members or friends. Use agronomic chair and adjustable desk to avoid any discomfort during online therapy sessions. Ensure good lighting or natural lighting at your meeting space or use any lamps and make sure your face is visible to your therapist.
Make sure you have a proper working computer or tablet that has camera and microphone. Assemble any equipment for therapy that your therapist has prescribed. A stable internet connection and other backups for internet connection are also required during this session.
· Step 4: Gather Necessary Supplies and Equipment: It is critical to gather necessary supplies and equipment needed to guarantee the efficiency of your online rehabilitation sessions. Reliable devices (e.g., a computer, smartphone, or tablet) with built-in camera and microphone are required. A larger screen of computer or tablet enhances the video quality with a rehab therapist. High quality camera and microphone with stable internet connection are necessary. Make sure you have 5 Mbps of internet speed to reduce any video and audio disruptions. Download video calling applications such as Zoom or Skype as advised by a rehabilitation specialist.
Also gather therapy material and resources before your session, as guided by your therapist. Here are some physical therapy supplies that are required during physical therapy sessions: Balance board, yoga mat, resistance bands, dumbbells and foam rollers etc. For occupational therapy, fine motor tools such as stress balls or hand grippers are required. Work books, support group access and medication are required for substance abuse rehabilitation.
· Step 5: Inform and Involve your Support System: A productive online rehabilitation journey demands that you keep your support system informed and involved. You can acquire the support you need to stay motivated and on target by developing strong relationships with family and friends and maintaining efficient interactions with them. Tell your family and friends about your recovery journey and the therapies you are taking. Tell them about your physical and mental health. Describe the amount of time you have to commit to your rehabilitation sessions and any additional activities that are assigned to you. Remind them when you need private time with your therapist during rehabilitation therapies. Communicate with your loved one about your recovery, to keep them involved in your improvements. Make sure to be honest about any difficulties or shortcomings you find. This honesty gives them an improved awareness of what you are doing and gives them an opportunity to encourage and support you. Decide which family members are trustworthy and help you in emotional support. Speak with those who are supportive in your recovery process and understand your state. Participate in online support groups, and may share your experiences with other participants and advise them with your learnings and learn from their experiences. Keep in touch with your online therapist on a daily basis, and share your recovery with them.
· Step 6: Establish a Routine: For a successful online rehabilitation you must establish a routine. A well-maintained daily schedule always helps you to stay motivated including self-care in your routine helps you to maintain your recovery. Set up your daily schedules of online therapy sessions at consistent times every week. Set up reminders for your online therapy sessions and always prioritize your rehabilitation and make sure that you don’t miss any appointments. Plan your day according to your sessions. Prepare yourself for your therapy sessions by including relaxing exercises and healthy meal. Always add time in your daily routine for tasks and activities assigned by therapist to practice.
Incorporate self-care practices in your daily routine. Add physical self-care by including daily exercises, yoga and meditation to relax your mind and body. Improve your diet, add healthy snacks and meals regularly. Mental and emotional self-care is also beneficial in rehabilitation journey. Practice mindfulness and meditation regularly to calm and relax your mind and improve mental health. Social self-care is also necessary, stay connected with your family and friends to maintain social connections. Join support groups related to your online rehabilitation and share experiences with other patients struggling with same issue. Take rest and relax yourself and make sure that you get enough sleep.
· Step 7: Understand Program Expectations: understanding program expectation is to make sure that you are completely ready to attend your therapy sessions. This involves to understand the therapy requirements and goals created by your rehabilitation team. There are some participation requirements of every online rehabilitation program that has to be understand. You have to attend your scheduled sessions regularly and make sure to be on time for every session. This gesture shows immense respect for therapist time. Show your fully participation in all activities and engage with your therapist by asking any queries about your therapy. Complete your tasks and homework assigned by your therapist, this ensures that you are learning with your sessions and track your progress with symptoms and improvements. share with your therapist about your improvements and give honest feedback of your therapy sessions.
Understand your rehabilitation goals and discuss them with you therapist. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART goals). Understand the objective of your online rehabilitation program and setup up achievable expectations from your therapist. Celebrate small successes from your recovery journey to stay motivated. Your therapist must have individual objectives based on your initial assessment, understand the alignment of these objectives with your goals. Always make sure to discuss your thoughts with your therapist and therapist can modify your goals based on your recovery.
Checklist for Preparing for Online Rehab
- Research and Choose a Program: The first and foremost step in online rehab is to choose a right program. You have to make sure that a program provides online platforms for the rehabilitation process and provides you in detail process.
- Consult with Healthcare Providers: Healthcare providers provide you a complete rehabilitation plan. They focus on your mental emotional and physical health at the same time. They are more focused towards finding any kind of change in you and provides that suitable treatment.
- Set Up a Supportive Environment: A fully supportive environment is necessary in rehabilitation process. Good internet connection and a quite place is required for better experience. Use a comfortable chair and a folding desk to avoid any disturbance. You have to have a proper device which has a working camera and a microscope.
- Gather Necessary Supplies and Equipment: It is necessary to get required equipment which will helpful in a rehabilitation process. Devices such as smartphone, laptop or a tablet with built in camera and microphone are the basic requirements of online rehabilitation process. You need to gather some other material such as yoga mat, resistance bands, dumbbells and foam rollers etc.
- Inform and Involve Your Support System: A healthy rehabilitation journey demands you have to get in touch with your friends and family members and share your rehabilitation experience with them. Speak to those regularly who are supportive in this process.
- Establish a Routine: You have to establish a proper routine for the positive outcome. Well maintained daily routine always helps you to stay focused. Prepare yourself for the rehabilitation therapy which includes exercises and mental health recovery.
- Understand Program Expectations: You have to fully aware of program expectations and the outcomes. You must follow their guidelines and to be on time every time. You have to complete your task and assignments which a therapist has given to you.
Tips for Success in Online Rehab
- Stay Committed and Consistent: If you have to get success in your rehabilitation process you have to stay committed towards your main goal with consistency. It all depends on your mind that you have to commit first and then follow the steps of rehabilitation.
- Communicate Openly with Therapists: You have to communicate openly with therapist without any hesitation and speak to him directly about your problems. This will definitely helpful to find a better solution for you and your therapist. If you feel any kind of boundary between you and your therapist talk to him directly so that he will guide you properly.
- Engage Actively in Sessions: In your rehabilitation sessions, you have to perform well and answer questions directly with your therapist. You have to take part in different kinds activities that were given to you by your therapist. Different sessions took place for the rehabilitation, and is your responsibility to fully participate in those sessions.
- Practice Patience and Self-Compassion: You have to believe in yourself first to achieve a bigger goal then start practicing towards that goal with patience and consistency. With the passage of time, you will definitely feel some positive changes in you. By practicing any task or work you can master the art of it.
- Utilize Available Resources: To take fully advantage of available resources, you have to fully utilize available resources to get the maximum results. Resources are of two types internal and external. Internal resources include skills knowledge and time; on the other hand, external resources are technology, networks and financial resources.
- Monitor Progress and Celebrate Milestones: After some time, you have to check and analyze your own progress and concentrate on achieving small milestones. You have to track key performance indicators to get the maximum out of it.
Conclusion
Firstly, there is an introduction and overview of online rehabilitation, then some of the benefits, which include availability, convenience, and economical online sessions. There are some licensed professionals who offers complete security. Furthermore, there is step by step guidance to prepare for online rehab.
The first step is to research and choose the right program, which involves different factors to be considered, and some accreditation and licensing. Choosing a right program is very much necessary. Second one is to consult with healthcare providers, which involves the importance of professional guidance, medical assessments, and recommendations. In this step, you have to communicate properly and discuss all the ambiguities you are facing. Thirdly, we have to set up a supportive environment and create a private space that is noise free where you can feel comfortable and have a suitable internet connection. Fourthly, you must have gadgets that can fulfil the requirements of the online rehabilitation process, such as a laptop, mobile phone, or tablet that has a camera and a microphone that help you to have a secure connection, and you must have therapy material and resources provided for you. Fifth step is to inform and involve your support system, which helps to communicate with your family and friends and to built a network of support. Sixth one is to establish a routine which has daily schedules and incorporates selfcare practices. The last step includes understanding program expectations which require participation questions and answers. It will be helpful to regain confidence in the rehabilitation process.
- Encouragement for the Journey Ahead
Once you go through these all-steps life becomes easier, and you will realize the beauty of life. It will help you to set realistic goals and breakdown your transformation into smaller steps that are easy to achieve. You have to celebrate smaller victories to maintain your winning streak with a positive approach. You have to know your limits, stay within your limits, and stay optimistic. Use positive energies to boost your confidence. Remind yourself of past success stories, which will help you regain your confidence and perform well. You have to continue the learning process and face different challenges as an opportunity to learn something new from them. You have to take care of your physical as well as mental health. Exercise should be part of your daily routine, and you should share your daily life routine with your family members and friends who support you. You can join some groups or communities relevant to that and share your experience and meet different kinds of people to learn something new and attractive that will be beneficial for you as you move forward.