This study aims to identify an ideal model for community-based palliative rehabilitation to address current inconsistencies and ensure that patients worldwide receive timely, tailored physiotherapy as part of their palliative care.
A realist review of the literature was conducted following RAMESES standards, with input from stakeholders, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, service managers, and patient representatives. Iterative searches from September 2023 to April 2024 identified 42 relevant international publications from 2000 to 2023.
The review identified five key components of an ideal model for community palliative rehabilitation:
Early Referral: Ensuring timely access to rehabilitation across diverse healthcare systems.
Layered Service Model: Tailoring interventions to patient complexity, with appropriate involvement of generalist and specialist clinicians.
Holistic Assessments: Personalising rehabilitation based on comprehensive patient evaluations.
Accessible and Flexible Services: Adapting services to the diverse and evolving needs of patients globally.
Patient and Caregiver Education: Providing continuous, culturally sensitive education and support.
This study proposes a model for community palliative rehabilitation that provides a framework for evaluating and standardising rehabilitation services in palliative care across different regions. Future work in the form of contrasting case studies will explore this further with the aim of producing guidelines to inform practice.
Implementing this model could improve the consistency and effectiveness of rehabilitation in palliative care worldwide, enhancing patient outcomes. Despite international differences in healthcare delivery, the model's foundation in global literature ensures its relevance and adaptability.
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