Volunteering in hospitals to improve the quality of long stays in rehabilitation units

In this regard, there is evidence of the importance of psychosocial factors in favoring outcomes (Newall et al., 2015; Guitiérrez-Robledo and Avila Funes, 2012) and of the need to create a bridge between social sciences, healthcare community services and hospital settings (Hawker and Romero-Ortuno, 2016). [...]involving inpatients in recreational activities might have a beneficial role in improving their engagement and clinical outcomes, leading, for example, to better treatment adherence, more positive mood, and better clinical outcomes. [...]the presence of volunteers in hospitals was greatly appreciated, appeared to be helpful to the patients and their families, and may have implications for adherence to treatment. Volunteers provide staff members with an "extra pair of hands" for the provision of non-medical services (Handy et al., 2004) and play vital roles in patient care and in a variety of support services that contribute to patients' added comfort and happiness. [...]acting on the environment may influence decreased functioning experienced as an impairment, and also quality of life.