title: The provision of ophthalmic services for a rehabilitation day care centre population with multiple physical handicaps.
abstract: The provision of the wide variety of support services necessary for patients with multiple handicaps is often poorly coordinated. In this study a group of 108 adults, aged from 19 to 90 years, who suffered from multiple physical handicaps and attended a rehabilitation day care centre, had their visual functions and requirements assessed by a multidisciplinary team. The programme consisted of five stages. Each patient was initially screened and subsequently referred for more detailed optometric, ophthalmological, low vision or rehabilitation assessments, where appropriate. Results indicated that many of the patients had not been receiving regular ocular assessments and would benefit from the provision of an optical appliance or ophthalmological treatment. The survey provided staff at the rehabilitation centre with information on the visual status of individual patients and enhanced general eye-care awareness.
authors.affiliation: East Belfast Social Services Department, UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Canavan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009885:Ophthalmology; D009907:Optometry; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D014792:Visual Acuity