Role and Outcomes of Supported Community Living Programs in Post-Hospital Brain Injury Rehabilitation Programs

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) presents complex challenges for long-term care.
• Supported Community Living (SCL) programs aim to provide sustained support for individuals with ABI.
• Understanding functional trajectories in SCL settings is crucial for optimizing care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine functional and community integration changes in participants admitted to SCL programs over five years.
• To examine how time since injury, time in program, and age influence functional trajectories.
• To assess the stability of functioning within SCL services for the ABI population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of data from SCL programs serving individuals with ABI.
• Utilized the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (MPAI-4) to measure functioning.
• Employed Linear Mixed Models (LMM) on Rasch-derived T-scores from admission to five years.

Main Results:

• High functional stability was observed in SCL programs over five years, with at least 89% of patients showing improved or unchanged MPAI-4 scores.
• No significant variation in the rate of change over time was associated with time since injury, time in program, or age.
• MPAI-4 total, index, and subscale scores demonstrated stability across yearly intervals.

Conclusions:

• SCL services are effective in maintaining sustained functioning for individuals with ABI for at least five years.
• This stability may mitigate risks of rehospitalization and increased care needs in the ABI population.
• Further research into comorbidities and diagnostic details could enhance understanding of outcome stability.