Do you know the SMART approach to rehab?
SMART goals is an evidence-based goal setting practice used by many health professionals to guide their clinical work.
In a nutshell, SMART goals helps individuals to identify goals they want to achieve and assists in working out a realistic plan for getting there.
SMART stands for:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Timely
Specific – By being specific about what they want to achieve, gives our clients the best chance of getting there. Some people may say “I want to be more independent” but that means something different for everyone. To understand their needs and get to the right outcome, it is important for our clients to be precise with their therapist.
E.g. “I want to dress myself in the morning seven days a week within one month with no help from my support worker.” – This is a specific goal.
Measurable – By making something measurable, it means we know without a shadow of a doubt that a goal has been achieved. Using the example goal above, we can measure how close our clients are coming to success by how many days a week they are dressing themselves without help. This is a clear way of knowing if they are making progress and everyone can see and celebrate it.
Achievable – It’s important when they set goals that it is achievable. An achievable goal should be something that’s a little hard but certainly within reach with the right tools and practice.
Realistic – Similar to the above, a SMART goal needs to be something that is within reach and that the client believes they are capable of achieving.
Timely – Setting timeframes or time limits for a goal is also very important. Timeframes or deadlines help us to stay focused and commit our energy for the long term outcome. It also sets a timeframe for us to measure the progress and we can evaluate it at the end. Sometimes a goal is achieved or it needs to be adjusted or re-established.
At Smart Solutions Rehab Group, SMART goals are key and foundational to all of our work. Firstly we want to know all about our clients, what their strengths, interests and skills are and what they want to achieve by working with us. That enables our team to establish goals and work with our clients on SMART solutions to assist them in achieving the best outcome.
We love seeing our clients succeed and move closer towards the life they want to live. Often this happens with small steps in the right direction made every day. With the right team, the right interventions and determination and commitment, anything is possible.
Call us today to start working towards your SMART goals!