Setting Realistic Goals for Your Rehabilitation in The New Year

Recovery after brain injuries, stroke, and concussions begins with setting realistic goals. January is a month for setting resolutions and intentions for the new year, so it’s a great time to set or reevaluate your goals for rehabilitation. 

Delaware NeuroRehab invites you to visit our offices in Dover, Newark, or Lewes, Delaware. Our team of rehabilitation specialists, neuropsychologists, speech language pathologists, and occupational therapists works together to assist you at every stage of rehabilitation. 

In a personalized neurorehabilitation program, you work with the team on improving your gait or balance and improving speech. We can also help with swallowing problems, managing pain, and other goals for recovery. 

Neurorehabilitation helps improve your brain function while reducing symptoms like pain and spasticity. 

Reasons to set realistic goals for neurorehabilitation

Here’s why realistic goals are the foundation of any productive rehabilitation program: 

You establish focus and clear direction

The first step in setting goals for neurorehabilitation is identifying what you need to work on. For example, if you often experience vertigo after a brain injury, you might shift your focus to vertigo exercises and repositioning maneuvers to feel more balanced. 

Your goals help point you in the direction of the types of rehabilitation you need. Our team develops an individualized neurorehabilitation program using strategies that set you up for success in reaching your goals.

You can see your progress

When your goals are within reach, your progress becomes clear. When you’re a long way off from a goal, it may feel permanently out of reach. This can lead to lost motivation and giving up, even if your rehabilitation team sees more progress than you do.

Realistic goals give you opportunities to celebrate

Reaching milestones in rehabilitation allows for opportunities for celebration. Instead of setting singular large goals on their own, consider mapping out multiple smaller milestones between your starting point and the goal. 

Celebrations increase morale, even when the milestones seem trivial. 

Tips for setting New Year’s rehabilitation goals

Our team can offer some guidance to help you set realistic goals for the upcoming year. Consider these tips for setting goals within your capacity:

• Make your goals as specific as possible
• Make sure your goals are measurable
• Give yourself reasonable deadlines for reaching goals or milestones
• Review your strengths and limitations

Write your goals down and keep them somewhere accessible so they stay fresh in your mind. 

Delaware Neurorehab welcomes you to visit and establish your rehabilitation goals for the new year. Call your nearest office or request an appointment online today.