Research

The Research department of the Fürst Donnersmarck Foundation works at the interface between rehabilitation and participation research, especially for people with acquired brain injuries and a resultant need for support. The focus of the research projects is on post-acute neuro-rehabilitation and the participation of people with acquired brain injuries in society. To be able to appropriately research the realities faced by the people affected, the Research department of the Fürst Donnersmarck Foundation has an interdisciplinary composition, bringing together scientists from medicine, health sciences, social sciences and the arts. Participative cooperation with affected people is aimed for in all research activities so that the research can be based on these people’s needs and challenges.

With its research activities, the Fürst Donnersmarck Foundation aims to provide academic support for its offerings to people with disabilities, from the highly specialised P.A.N. Centre for Post-Acute Neuro-Rehabilitation to the independent design of everyday life in the residential offerings of Ambulant Betreutes Wohnen [outpatient assisted living] and the leisure offerings at Villa Donnersmarck or the two FDS Hotel gGmbH properties.

This is how the Foundation puts its rehabilitative and educational offerings on an evidence-based footing. At the same time, the Fürst Donnersmarck Foundation pursues the goals of making an independent contribution to current scientific rehabilitation-related accompanying and healthcare research. What’s more, the Foundation’s research work is also involved in the new field of participation research. Because the participative involvement of people with disabilities in the research process is an important approach for identifying the issues that are of personal interest to people with disabilities.

• Bachelor’s Thesis: “Acquired Dyslexias among German-Speaking Patients: Diagnosis Based on the Site of Damage in the Cognitive Model”, Linguistics course at Potsdam University
• Bachelor’s Thesis: “Is Adaptation Wanted? The Perception of Stroke Patients with respect to Interventions by Relatives in Post-Acute Neuro-Rehabilitation”, Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy course (AddIS) at the Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin (University of Applied Science)
• Master’s Thesis: Predictors of the Form of Housing after Ending a Post-Acute Long-Term Rehabilitation for People with Acquired Brain Damage: An 18-Month Follow-Up, M.Sc. in Health Research & Therapeutic Sciences at the European University of Applied Science
• Bachelor’s Thesis: “Aggressive Behaviour among Clients with Aphasia – Experience of the Interdisciplinary Staff in Long-Term Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study using Guideline-Based Expert Interviews”, Interdisciplinary Healthcare course at the Steinbeis Business Academy
• Bachelor’s Thesis: “Supported Communication with Aphasia – The Transfer of Communication Strategies from Therapy to Everyday Life”, Special Education course at the Institute for Rehabilitation Sciences at the Humboldt University in Berlin
• Term Paper: Importance of Social Contact in the Stay Experience of Rehabilitation Patients in an In-Patient Centre for Neuro-Rehabilitation – What Role Do Social Contacts Play in the Everyday Life of a Rehabilitation Patient?, Rehabilitation Education course at the Institute for Rehabilitation Sciences at the Humboldt University in Berlin
• Bachelor’s Thesis: Applications of the ActivTable in Cognitive-Oriented Speech Therapy: An Exploration, Patholinguistics course at Potsdam University

• Master’s Thesis: “Back to Life – with an Electric Wheelchair” – People with Acquired Brain Damage Recount their Point of View and Experience, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy course at the University of Applied Science and Art, Hildesheim