ABSTRACT

The need to return to work has long been appreciated and industrial therapy is an accepted part of a rehabilitation programme. If the illness is a psychiatric one and mental symptoms have resulted in long or short periods in hospital, then the rehabilitation period is most important and needs to be carefully planned. Rehabilitation means learning to put the physical and mental abilities that remain after an illness to the best possible use. Therefore it is logical to start a rehabilitation programme on a long-stay ward. It is better to start with easily achieved goals and reaches them, rather than go on indefinitely with little evidence of achievement to the group members. The pace at which the group progresses are individual to the group and some discussion with ward staff will help the therapist to measure it. The duration of each course for a rehabilitation programme would usually be 8–10 sessions.