Community-Based Neurological Rehabilitation Professionals’ Knowledge and Skills Related to Cognitive Rehabilitation

Abigail Hayes

Purpose: To explore whether community-based neurological professionals in one county of the United Kingdom perceive they have the knowledge and skills to recognize and assess cognitive impairments and provide cognitive rehabilitation.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 47 community-based neurological professionals. Data was analyzed by calculating frequencies and using thematic analysis to explore subjective data.

Findings: The response rate was 70%. Respondents differed in their definition of cognition, and had moderate satisfaction with their knowledge and skills in assessing cognition and providing cognitive rehabilitation. They rated their teams’ ability to provide cognitive assessments and cognitive rehabilitation higher than their individual ability.

Conclusion: Neurological professionals may need further education to ensure they feel ‘equipped’ to recognize cognitive impairments and provide effective cognitive rehabilitation.