The Singapore Family Physician

Back to issue Vol 40 No. 4 - Disability Assessments

Rehabilitation in the Intermediate and Long Term Care (ILTC) Sector

Kelvin Phua Cheng Pau
The Singapore Family Physician Vol 40 No 4 - Disability Assessments
25 - 25
1 October 2014
0377-5305
Outside acute hospital rehabilitation units, inpatient rehabilitation is also provided in the ILTC sector. Facilities providing such inpatient rehabilitation include Community Hospitals, Chronic Sick Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Inpatient Hospice Care, Day Rehabilitation Centres and Home Care Services. After the initial acute episode of a disabling disease (e.g. a stroke) has settled, the elderly patient will often than not, require a longer period for inpatient rehabilitation compared to a younger person. Such patients are transferred to a community hospital inpatient rehabilitation unit. The length of stay is about 1 month. However, it can be longer (3 to 6 months) depending on the condition and progress of the patient. The patient is then discharged home or to a nursing home if the family is unable to manage the patient at home. Elderly patients who require continuation of rehabilitation can receive this in various settings in the ILTC sector like the outpatient departments of the community hospital; Day Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs); and Singapore Programme of Integrated Care for the Elderly (SPICE) centers.