Home rehabilitation is becoming an increasingly popular choice – how to give your employees the support they need

This trend has positive implications for social security and, more importantly, for the patient as they can now recover from their illness or injury in the comfort of their own home, where there’s less risk of infection and they enjoy greater autonomy. This trend also presents new challenges – for patients as well as for employers. When rehabilitating at home, additional care services like the KBC Insurance Comfort Services can help to support recovery and reduce the risk of relapse.

Care doesn’t end once you’ve returned home after surgery or treatment – in fact, that is often when the medical rehabilitation truly starts. And this involves all sorts of challenges:

• How do I get the medicines I need in the first few days?
• Who will help with shopping, housework and transport?
• How do I balance my recovery with taking care of my children?
• What if my partner is at work, I’m a single parent or I don’t have a support network to rely on?
•  …

Comfort services are specifically aimed at addressing these practical – yet often urgent – needs. Rather than focusing on the actual treatment, they prioritise comfort and practical support, ensuring your employees can recover in the best possible conditions.

Comfort services for home rehabilitation serve one common purpose: to provide the patient with as much peace of mind as possible, so that they can focus all their attention on a smooth and full recovery. Examples include:

• Practical support at home: help with light household chores, shopping or meals
• Mobility solutions: temporary aids, ergonomic adjustments or help with transport to rehabilitation or follow-up appointments
• Mental and emotional support: coaching, check-ins or psychosocial support to reduce stress and uncertainty
• Family support: additional support for partners or families, preventing pressure in the home environment
  

Although there are no definitive studies exploring the effect of additional support during rehabilitation at home, several international reviews and policy reports show that rehabilitation in comfortable surroundings leads to better adherence to treatment, faster functional recovery and a higher likelihood of a sustainable return to work. Across various studies, this positive impact generally varies between 10 and 25%, depending on the target group and the nature of the support.³

Comfort services are more than just a convenience: they’re a strategic investment in your human capital.

• Sustainable recovery: a lower risk of relapse, potentially also improving absenteeism rates
• Fewer long-term absences: you reduce the risk of complications, relapse or mental exhaustion
• Greater engagement and loyalty: providing care at key moments fosters trust between employee and employer
• A powerful and people-centric employer brand: in a well-being-focused labour market, going the extra mile for your employees helps you stand out as an employer

By systematically offering additional support services – through your HR department, adequate insurance or external partners – you create a caring organisational culture where employees feel seen and valued. These services bridge the gap between admission and recovery. They ensure that ‘going home sooner’ also means better recovery, with greater comfort and less worry.

And that’s precisely what makes the difference – for your employees as well as for your organisation.

You can read all about these services on the KBC Hospital Care web page or discuss them with one of our experts.