Bounce Back

Meningococcal, Meningitis and Septicaemia are individual diseases, that often present together, are severe, deadly and affect the brain with swelling. Resulting in an “overwhelming and life threatening immune response that can lead to tissue damage, amputation, organ failure and death” (Centres For Disease Control and Prevention, N/a). However, the severity will result in the patient requiring physical recovery and rehabilitation to regain physical movement. Physical recovery and rehabilitation are the process where patients learn to regain physical movement through mobility exercises and motor skills training. Physical movement can start with the patient simply learning how to roll over in bed or how to transition from sitting to standing. This will progress to tasks of more independence such as personal hygiene care, eating and drinking.

Any injury resulting from these diseases can result in physical and mental difficulties. Survivors of these diseases require supporting information to assist in physical and metal recovery and rehabilitation, however finding and acquiring this information is difficult. The intent of this project is to develop a better, more refined process to assist in the physical recovery and rehabilitation an acquired brain injury resulting from Meningococcal, Meningitis and Septicaemia. This project has a primary focus on physical movement and at-home/independent methods for patients.

The target audience for this solution creates an interesting context for the design to be set in. Evidently, the initial physical recovery and rehabilitation is achieved in a hospital setting but the majority of this is continued as an outpatient in the persons home. The target patient group is predominantly between 18 and 25 years of age, but all ages are welcome. These patients will vary depending on their physical abilities, age, interests and occupations. Their similarity comes in their common experience with these diseases which is a difficult and jarring experience. One that is difficult for outsiders to understand.

The focus of this topic has been to improve the physical recovery and rehabilitation of a patient with an acquired brain injury from either Meningococcal, Meningitis or Septicaemia. As the effects these viruses could have on a patient varies, providing a way to gather and deliver relevant information in a format that best suits the patient, parent, partner or guardian is crucial. A patient’s reaction to the viruses plays a huge role in the recovery and rehabilitation process, as the severity of mental and physical conditions develop from this.

The Bounce Back system has two separate purposes:
1) Access to relevant and current medical information and communication
2) Initiate the regaining of brain function

The application serves as a platform to distribute current and relevant information in a format and time that best suits the patient, parent, partner or guardian. This platform also provides links to relevant community chat rooms. These chatrooms are separated into different categories such as; patients, parents or partners. This allows the person to feel included in the wider community and not so alone in the recovery and rehabilitation process. These links are provided should the patient or their carer choose to make the connection.

The Bounce Back Box serves the purpose of providing information the carer may need in the initial stage of the patient’s hospital visit, reducing the unnecessary stress the situation brings and to manage provided information. Once the patient is ready to take charge of their recovery the Bounce Back Box can become theirs. The activities which are included can help the patient to initiate the regaining of brain function. The activities also serve the purpose of encouraging social interaction and the reduction of stress.

Throughout a year of researching the physical recovery and rehabilitation of a patient after acquiring a brain injury from Meningococcal, Meningitis or Septicaemia, this report concludes with the design of the Bounce Back System. Currently hospitals have a system that isn’t sufficient for those who find themselves in this situation. Therefore, the Bounce Back system was designed. The Bounce Back system is a game changer which bridges the gap in the distribution of up to date and relevant medical information while connecting and promoting social interactions. Which instates Hope while offering a helping hand.