ReLounge in occupational therapy: From a nursing home back to the desire to move.

challenge

Occupational therapist Tina Laller cared for a patient who had suffered a severe cerebral infarction with spastic hemiplegia 13 years earlier.

Despite intensive therapy, her condition had stabilized over the years, but had not significantly improved. The patient lived in a nursing home.

The key challenges were:

1. Permanent chronic pain and extreme immobility:
   The patient suffered from permanent pain in all joints and the spastic side. Her walking distance was limited to 3-5 meters with a four-point walking stick.
   ‍
2. Loss of motivation and quality of life:
   As a result of the immobility and pain, the patient had lost all desire to move, which led to increasing spinal kyphosis (round back).
   ‍
3. Therapeutic Plateau:
   With the established manual and exercise therapy measures, spasticity and associated symptoms could not be significantly improved any further.

solution

Tina Laller decided to integrate ReLounge as an integral part of the patient's weekly treatment plan in order to specifically address the neural causes of spasticity and pain.

The solution was implemented as follows:

• Regular, focused use:
  The patient came to ReLounge once a week for a 20-minute session.
  ‍
• Treatment goal: tone regulation and pain reduction:
  The focus was on regulating the high muscle tone of spasticity and interrupting chronic pain signals.
  ‍
• Catalyst for active therapy:
  The relaxation and pain relief achieved by ReLounge was used to motivate the patient again for active movement exercises and to promote her newfound mobility.

scores

The integration of ReLounge led to a life-changing transformation for the patient within a few weeks.

1. Breakthrough: Absolute freedom from pain:
   ‍After just four weeks at ReLounge, the patient was completely pain-free for the first time in years, which she described as “great.”
   ‍
2. Explosion of mobility and motivation:
   Spasticity was significantly reduced. The walking distance increased from a maximum of 5 meters to 20 to 30 meters. The patient developed an “insane desire to move” and is now moving around the living area of the home on her own again.
   ‍
3. Holistic improvement of health status:
   The increased activity has a positive effect on concomitant diseases. Cardiovascular system, lymphatic activity and weight control have been demonstrably improved.