Occupational therapy and tools for monitoring the effectiveness of therapy.

We have constructed a battery of tests for assessment of some aspects of self-sufficiency (washing, dressing, eating) and called it the Ronchi brief evaluation battery (RBEB). The tests were designed to allow for more accurate monitoring of the effects of occupational therapy interventions with patients recovering in our subacute care nursing home (abbreviated from the Italian name: "Residenza Sanitaria Assistenziale" as RSA). The RBEB results showed great advantage, in maximizing levels of independence of patients, of occupational therapy input. Furthermore, when RBEB results are compared to those from the Barthel index, greater improvements are seen in each of the functions tested suggesting that the RBEB results are more detailed and therefore more appropriate. The RBEB tests are based on analysis of the activities of daily living (ADL) and have provided us with brief, clear, accurate, low-cost and practical baseline assessment and review tool.