Life is full of obstacles and pitfalls. Unfortunately not all things worth achieving seem to come easily. The biggest test is how you react to the obstacles to achieve your goals
Short term therapy obstacles
More times than not, no matter how well prepared and planned a therapy stint can be set up, obstacles always seem to pop up.
These seem to pop out of nowhere and can either derail your plan of care or force you to re-evaluate your plan. By focusing on the positive and adjusting the plan we can still achieve a worthwhile outcome.
Different obstacles
These obstacles can pop up out of nowhere. They can be a delay in weight bearing status change, a fall and a new injury, an infection, or a new injury from over compensating for a weakness.
These are the times that truely can make or break a treatment plan and goal achievement. By adapting the approach or adjusting the time period goal, we can still achieve a good outcome.
We might need to look at different assistive devices, utilizing a brace, or changing the mechanics to overcome and adapt to the new change.
Not every obstacle leads to a dead end
The biggest thing is to accept the fact that it happened and quickly adapt and move on. The faster we can adjust the plan and continue with forward momentum towards a goal the less ground is lost. We need to refocus our patients onto the positive changes that have happened to this point and be a guiding light to a new altered goal.
Sometimes all it takes is a change in timing. Often the goal is to go home. That goal is a guesstimate at the beginning. We might be shooting for a return to home in 4 weeks or by a certain important date. With an unforseen obstacle now in place we might still achieve the ultimate goal of a return to home, it just might be a couple more weeks than originally planned.
Good outcomes are always possible
Even with the disappointing change in goal or timing we still need to look at what has been accomplished to this point and use that as the fuel to push through the obstacles.
They might have had the goal to walk without an assistive device, but walking with a cane or a four wheeled walker is still better than when they admitted. We need to focus and celebrate what they have accomplished.
Perspective
Sometimes it all comes down to perspective. Often when someone admits for short term rehabilitation they are needing significant help with all tasks. They are often needing max assist to possibly fully dependent for bed mobility and transfers. After a week or two maybe they only need min assistance. When putting that into perspective, they have achieved a tremendous amount. We need to continually remind them of where they were when we started to where we are now.
Being able to achieve walking of any type or distance when it was medically not possible at admission is a huge change and accomplishment that must be celebrated and encouraged. That can be the fuel that helps recharge the batteries to push beyond the new obstacles.
Not just for the Therapy world
This phenomenon is also true outside of the Therapy world. Many aspects of our life can be affected by an unseen obstacle. With proper perspective and focus, all obstacles can be overcome if we adapt, refocus, and re-energize.
Achievement is sweeter, the harder it is to accomplish
Many times an achievement that takes more time and effort that was originally expected, can be that much more rewarding. Hard work usually pays off in some way. It is all in your perspective. Many times we forget to do what we tell our residents to do. We forget about the many small achievements along the way that have further improved and impacted us. Keep striving, keep improving, keep pushing the rock. You are always better for it.
