Definition of Rehabilitation Center

According to Princeton University's WordNet, rehabilitation is restoring someone to a useful place in society. As such, a rehabilitation center is a location in which rehabilitation can occur. People get displaced from society for a variety of reasons. Some may experience an accident or illness that temporarily makes them unable to function the way they used to. Others may have an addiction that handicaps them. A rehabilitation center provides a support system to help restore people to their place in society.

Function
The function of a rehabilitation center is to provide the means and space to help in the recovery process. This process varies depending on the rehabilitation that is needed. Rehabilitation centers use a combination of therapy, small groups, individual sessions and highly structured living. The function of a rehabilitation center is to both increase the quality of life and to help the patient integrate back into the community. Rehabilitation centers typically fall into one of four categories: occupational, physical, addiction and psych-social.

Occupational
Occupational rehabilitation centers are often found in clinics and hospitals. These rehabilitation centers focus on helping their clients regain skills needed to function. For example, an occupational therapist may work with a patient who has had a severe spinal cord injury regain the use of her arms or legs. An occupational rehab center can help the patient in talking, writing, dressing herself and eating without assistance. The occupational therapist uses consistent rehabilitation exercises that help retrain the body.

Physical
Physical rehabilitation centers are similar to occupational rehabilitation centers, except they focus more on using physical exercises to help patients regain motor skills. Physical therapy rehabilitation centers specialize in helping rehabilitate patients who have accident-related injuries or who have lost a limb, They also help rehabilitate those who have spinal, muscular or bone problems due to degenerative diseases.

Addiction
Rehabilitation centers also work with those who have addiction problems. Addictions rehab centers provide both in-patient and out-patient programs. Rehabilitation centers are an important part of treating those addicted to drugs and alcohol. However, rehabilitation centers can also treat eating disorders and other addictions, such as gambling, sex and shopping.

Psych-social
Psych-social rehabilitation centers focus less on physical rehabilitation and more on the rehabilitation of the mind. Psych-social rehabilitation centers specialize in the treatment and rehabilitation of psychiatric disorders such as major depression, bi-polar disorder, and schizophrenia. Psych-social rehabilitation was implemented as an alternative to long-term institutionalization. It works to help those suffering from psychiatric disorders stabilize themselves through therapy and medication. Patients also learn skills to cope with their disorder while living in society.