Glossary of Terms

ADL - Activities of Daily Living, which include self care skills such as eating, bathing, toileting, hobbies and other vocational skills.
Ambulation - Getting from place to place by walking. An assistive device may be necessary.
Aphasia - Inability to express yourself properly through speech or the loss of verbal comprehension.
Dysphagia - Inability to swallow or difficulty with swallowing.
Dysarthria - Difficulty with muscles responsible for producing understandable speech.
Apraxia - Inability to start and carry out certain purposeful movements (when a muscle group will not do what our minds tell it).
Gait Belt - A belt worn around your waist and used by the staff to ensure your safety during transfers or walking (gait) activities.
AFO - Ankle Foot Orthosis (plastic brace) to support foot and ankle.
Assistive Device - A walker, cane or crutch. Any device that helps you walk or maintain your balance.
Transfer - Moving from one place to another without walking.
Mobility - Ability to move your body from place to place in bed, in your wheelchair or while walking.
O.T. - Occupational Therapy (See the description under Your Rehab Team)
P.T. - Physical Therapy (See the description under Your Rehab Team)
Rehab - Short for rehabilitation, which is the treatment and training of the patient so that he/she may attain maximum potential for normal living; physically, psychologically, socially and vocally.
ROM - Range of Motion, which is moving a joint through the fullest available range.
Cognition - An individual's process of thinking (including attention, problem solving, perception, judgement and memory).
Perception - The process of taking in information from your surroundings through your senses and then translating this information into something meaningful.