Rehabilitation Online Resources and Virtual Groups
The Covid pandemic caused a dramatic change in our delivery of therapy to Hospice Outpatients and Day Service attendees, significantly limiting our ability to deliver face to face sessions and, in particular, group sessions.
In response to this, and in keeping with Mountbatten’s ambitions to further our reach, be responsive and dynamic, and explore new ways of working, we have been supported by funding from Wessex Cancer Alliance to develop and create online therapy resources, and virtual therapy groups.
Through a collaborative effort, involving colleagues from a variety of specialties, including IT, Quality, Therapy, Psychosocial and Comms, the project has achieved the following:
- A new section of the Mountbatten websites with resources and information on a host of relevant topics including Breathlessness, Fatigue, Sleep Hygiene and Physical Activity and Exercise.
- Recorded videos of therapists delivering information, teaching self-management techniques, and demonstrating exercises, adapted Tai Chi and Seated Yoga.
- A timetable of virtual therapy groups including Living Well with Breathlessness, Living Well with Fatigue, Exercise Circuits, Adapted Tai Chi and Seated Yoga.
The advantages of these developments go beyond compensating for the limits on our services caused by the Covid pandemic.
The increased accessibility to these valuable resources mean more patients and families will benefit from the information and advice, giving opportunity for increased feeling of ownership and control over their symptoms and condition.
Colleagues will have a site to signpost people to who are seeking this support, providing an adjunct to their own knowledge and skill set. And patients will be able to access guided sessions from the comfort of their own home without the need to travel, eliminating many of the traditional barriers to attending face to face sessions.