Abstract
At first glance this text seems like it might be a hotchpotch of chapters cobbled together from conference proceedings, but it isn't. The initial idea for the book originated at a conference on ‘Cognitive Rehabilitation: Advances in the Rehabilitation of Acute and Age-related Disorders’, organized by the Rotman Research Institute of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in 1995. A larger project was necessary, however, to organize the 38 contributors (from a range of backgrounds such as genetics, geriatric care, neurology, neurosurgery and psychology) into producing the 22 detailed chapters. The result is an excellent handbook with an international feel (contributors hail from Canada, Denmark, Eire, the UK, the USA and Sweden) that achieves the aims of the editors: ‘… to develop a resource handbook on the current status of cognitive rehabilitation’.
The first thing to say in praise of this book is that it presents a novel approach to cognitive rehabilitation, considering progressive disorders such as Aizheimer's disease as well as non-progressive difficulties and disabilities such as those following road traffic accident injury. Additionally, the authors must be commended on their consideration of factors such as changes in mood, motivation and awareness – factors which are often crucial to the outcome of rehabilitation – as well as a number of more traditional issues in this field.
It is divided into four very well structured sections. The first section is entitled ‘Mechanisms and Principles of Recovery’ and ‘… outlines the important scientific bases needed to develop and measure rehabilitation efforts’. The second section, which is concerned with ‘Pharmacoiggical Approaches’, highlights the fact that ‘… one important approach may be the combination of cognitive and pharmacological therapy’. The third section, ‘Clinical and Management Issues’, considers the ‘… multiple factors necessary for successful rehabilitation’, while the final section, ‘Neurorehabilitation Techniques’, gets down to the nitty-gritty of the subject, ‘… what is usually the heart of rehabilitation books – the specific techniques’. Generally, the variety of the subject matter cannot be faulted. Each section is preceded by an introduction from one of the editors, which has the effect of holding the book together as a single piece of work.
In terms of its organization, the book appears to have been thoughtfully constructed. Across all chapters, material is broken up into appropriate and readable chunks. Good use is made of bullet points so that important information is immediately highlighted for the reader. Summary conclusions are included at the end of each chapter, sometimes as concise numbered points, to enable the reader to consolidate previous lengthier details. Illustrations and graphics (and the one colour plate that is included) are clear and useful as they are immediately relevant to the text, and the extensive index makes this book a useful reference.
In summary, this a useful, well structured, detailed book that will be of benefit to the expert and the novice in this field alike.