The Institut Guttmann offers a whole series of accompaniment, support, counseling and information programs aimed at patients undergoing treatment and their families. These help to minimize the threat perceived by the losses suffered after an injury of neurological origin, and serve to enhance their own and community resources, to face the new situation, in order to facilitate their recovery and adaptation process.
Interventions aimed at relatives and / or caregivers
The sessions aimed at families aim to give them the support, guidance and information they need at the time of admission and during their hospital stay. It is very important, in cases such as those we deal with at the Guttmann Institute, that the family feels accompanied, since the immediate environment of people with a disability of an unexpected neurological origin suffers a great impact and must face physical and neuropsychological changes ( emotional, psychological, cognitive and behavioral) that derive from the neurological injury, as well as the modifications produced in the relationships that had been established between its members, and the alteration of the expectations and objectives of the family unit. The family is a fundamental element in the rehabilitation of the person affected by a disability of neurological origin.
We highlight:
– Celebration of the 4th edition of the Brain Damage Expert Caregiver Program with the participation of 13 families.
– During the year 2019, 71 meeting point sessions were held with an attendance of 423 people and 24 different topics of interest.
– 69% of those attending the training sessions for families and caregivers are women and 31% men. The largest group of caregivers are the parents followed by the couple. In relation to the level of studies, 43% have university studies, 43% secondary studies and 14% primary studies.
Education to patients
Thus, the Guttmann Institute offers training sessions to patients, where they are provided with basic information on issues related to the disability they have acquired and their emotional focus. These meetings are always led by an experienced neuropsychologist and are enriched by the possibility of mutual help, among patients who face similar challenges. We continue with La Voz del Paciente (The Voice of the Patient) where we generate dynamics that allow us to listen to the comments, opinions and suggestions of patients and families, in a humane and close manner that facilitates communication and understanding and that fosters the opportunity of sharing experiences and points of view.
Programa Ubuntu
In the course of 2018, the UBUNTU Program was launched from the Social Work Area of the Guttmann Institute, an initiative that aims to detect and act urgently and positively in the resolution or mitigation of those situations of vulnerability that affect the patients / families, and who suffer or may be suffering marginalization, abuse or social exclusion.
The program includes:
– Protocol for detecting situations of precariousness, vulnerability and social exclusion.
– Protocol to identify possible abuse in children, women (gender violence) and presumed situations of cognitive disability.
– Psychosocial fragility protocol, which is developed by the Specialized Advice and Support Team (EASE) in home and community interventions.
– Active participation program “The Voice of the Patient”.
– “Scholarships-Treatment” program created to prevent anyone, due to lack of resources, from being left without some innovative treatment that, if necessary, is not included in the public portfolio of health services.
Profiles of people served:
– Families in a precarious situation.
– Families with limited capacity for personal patient support.
– People without family and without economic income.
During 2019, 23 people were attended with a total of 45 services, including punctual purchases, clothing loans, laundry, food bank, accommodation in foundations, etc.
Volunteer Program
Being a volunteer at the Guttmann Institute is much more than taking concrete action, more than helping or accompanying a person in a moment of vulnerability or need. Being a volunteer is being committed and working in favor of a group, it is discovering solidarity and participation not as the result of an action, but as an option of coexistence.
In this way we contribute to building a better, fairer and above all, more humane model of society. During the year 2019, the Guttmann Institute launched a renewed volunteer program with a new approach, planning, profiles, tasks, etc. The results have been magnificent, since in one year we have more than doubled the number of volunteers.
The main activities carried out by the volunteers are accompaniment, help with arrangements, urban outings, accompaniment to medical tests, training, translation, support in recreational and recreational activities, etc.
During 2019 a total of 636 volunteer services have been carried out, 34 new volunteers have been registered who have carried out 1,003 hours of volunteering.
Participation and Social Inclusion Program
During 2019, a new Hospital Social Participation and Inclusion Program was launched with a team made up of different members of the Social Work Area and the incorporation of the figure of a social integrator.
The purpose of the Social Participation and Inclusion Program (PPIS) is to promote the comfort of the patients served and their affective environment, through an offer of recreational, artistic and socio-educational activities, with the daily environment and focusing on care to people, and also to their families.
The activities / workshops take place outside the hours of intensive rehabilitation treatment and participation is completely voluntary, both for patients and for family members who can also participate. Throughout the year, a total of 78 activities have been held with 411 participants, of which 144 are patients, 297 family members and 37 volunteers. The activity satisfaction index was 9.7 out of 10.