Design and implementation of a community-based rehabilitation curriculum for training multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams to serve people aging with disabilities.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to design and implement a community-based rehabilitation (CBR) curriculum to promote community engagement by multidisciplinary teams.

METHODS

Participants in this prospective interventional study at a rehabilitation institution for people aging with disabilities included learners, the chief executive officer of the institution, program auditors, and community members. A customized CBR curriculum was developed using systems thinking design. Thirty-five learners were trained through 36 instructional contact hours and 60 hours of guided self-directed learning. Learners completed pre-training self-reported questionnaires regarding knowledge and experience of CBR. During training, learners were evaluated continuously through observation, assignments, self-reported feedback questionnaires, and CBR projects. The chief executive officer was interviewed during the study. The program auditors were interviewed and wrote reports on the curriculum and observations regarding the CBR projects. Learners reported on community participation in these projects.

RESULTS

Thirty-three of 35 learners completed the program, 31 (94%) of whom had no prior knowledge of CBR. Learners implemented nine community engagement CBR projects, in which 1,293 community members participated. The auditors commended the curriculum content and its positive impact on learners and the community. The chief executive officer implemented inclusive community engagement at work. A CBR curriculum was dynamically developed for multidisciplinary rehabilitation team training to promote community engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

The custom-designed CBR curriculum enabled multidisciplinary teams to practice community engagement at work. Equipped with CBR knowledge and skills, teams engaged with multiple sectors of the community to enhance patients' rehabilitation potential and increase public awareness through the implemented projects.