Rehabilitation is an active process and not a passive process. An active process requires the person to engage and participate in the rehabilitation. Some people feel helpless or intimidated and therefore tend to adopt a passive approach to their rehabilitation. Others also feel that health workers especially doctors are all-knowing and so they need to do as told and that they will be ‘fixed’ by the doctor. Persons receiving rehabilitation care however need to be responsible for their rehabilitation care. They need to be able to understand their care and weigh options and make informed choices about it. This may take time but ultimately it makes the health care worker more effective.

Importance of making rehabilitation an active process:

1. It encourages self-management and increases the person’s decision making and problem solving about their care.
2. It makes care more effective and may lead to more sustained improvements in functioning,
3. It facilitates a quicker recovery and return to activities of daily living
4. It builds confidence and empowers the person to stay well and prevent further reductions in functioning.  

Rehabilitation therefore is not just showing up for sessions and having interventions performed on the person but it involves the person being:

1. Educated about the impairment and the rehabilitation care being received to improve understanding
2. Trained adequately in how to effectively and safely perform the rehabilitation interventions
3. Motivated and empowered to have a confident attitude of taking control of one’s rehabilitation process
4. Taking an active part during rehabilitation care with a willingness to follow the prescribed rehabilitation plan
5. Receiving support from the health worker through answered questions surrounding the care received and getting links to support groups.