FaceRehab involves all end-user groups throughout the project in order to really fulfill the needs and to understand the issues related to remote healthcare solutions for medical professionals. The involvement of all levels of end-user is explained, with the benefits clearly articulated, including how the solution will form part of the care pathway for people with facial paralysis and what the associated outcomes will be for the different end-user groups when compared to the existing interventions available to treat and support people with such health problems.
FaceRehab will develop a solution for supporting facial rehabilitation exercises at home using technology as a mean to improve digital transformation of the health and care for people affected with Facial Paralysis. It will contribute to integrate actions of formal and informal carers using a common ICT-based solution by extending rehabilitation programs performed in hospital or clinical environments to the community setting. In particular, FaceRehab will address the need for technological solutions that monitor the realization of facial paralysis rehabilitation exercises at home. A need felt by patients, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists while undergoing a rehabilitation program.
FaceRehab expects to improve the quality of life (QoL) for primary end-users. The most important contribution to the QoL provided by FaceRehab solution is that it is addressing an often disregarded but prevalent problem of facial nerve paralysis. This consequence can be caused by an acute event like stroke, but it can also appear without an apparent cause. It has devastating consequences on self-esteem and causes self-isolation, physical issues (deglutition, corneal protection, dampening of noise) and mental disorders. The paralysis results in facial asymmetry that alters identity, ability to communicate, and effective expression of emotion. FaceRehab aims to develop a solution that can support better and quicker rehabilitation through exercises and bio-feedback at home, which will have a great impact on peoples’ lives.