Concepts of Illness

I.      Illness – State in which a person’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social developmental or spiritual functioning is diminished or impaired. It is a condition characterized by a deviation from a normal, healthy state.

a.        3 Stages of Illness

i.                     Stage of Denial – Refusal to acknowledge illness; anxiety, fear, irritability and aggressiveness.

ii.                    Stage of Acceptance – Turns to professional help for assistance

iii.                  Stage of Recovery (Rehabilitation or Convalescence) – The patient goes through of resolving loss or impairment of function

b.        Rehabilitation

i.                     A dynamic, health oriented process that assists individual who is ill or disabled to achieve his greatest possible level of physical, mental, spiritual, social and economical functioning.

ii.                    Abilities not disabilities, are emphasized.

iii.                  Begins during initial contact with the patient

iv.                   Emphasis is on restoring the patient to independence or regain his pre-illness/predisability level of function as short a time as possible

v.                    Patient must be an active participant in the rehabilitation goal setting an din rehabilitation process.

c.        Focuses of Rehabilitation

i.                     Coping pattern

ii.                    Functional ability – focuses on self-care: activities of daily living (ADL); feeding, bathing/hygiene, dressing/grooming, toileting and mobility

iii.                  Mobility

iv.                   Integrity of skin

v.                    Control of bowel and bladder function