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Goal setting after an illness
After you have been unwell or spent time
in hospital, your physical ability and
confidence can take a knock.
Rehabilitation aims to restore you to the
greatest possible independence.
Rehabilitation can happen in hospital and
then continue in the community with the
support of community teams.
You need to decide what you want to
achieve from your rehabilitation. You
should set goals that are important to
you. People who set goals generally do
better in their rehabilitation than people who don't set goals.
While you are in hospital, the hospital team will discuss your goals with you and your family or
whānau. They will also set a review date for your goals.
Setting goals
Your goals may include:
Physical rehabilitation
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Family and household
Regaining movement or strength.
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Walking without help.
Losing or gaining weight.
Stopping smoking.
Getting to the toilet without help.
Social and recreational
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Doing housework.
Seeing family or whānau.
Cooking.
Gardening.
Paying bills.
Using the phone.
Work related
Taking part in club activities.
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Playing music.
Going to rugby games.
Knitting.
Travelling.
Playing cards.
Returning to work.
Completing study.
Writing.
Using a computer.
Using specific tools.
Driving.
Personal
 Being able to live, shower or dress independently.
HealthInfo reference: 232075
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Issued: 24 March 2016
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Page 1 of 5
Goal setting after an illness
www.healthinfo.org.nz
Choose measurable goals
Be definite about what you want to achieve. Some examples are:
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I want to be able to collect the newspaper from the gate every morning.
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I want to attend my granddaughter's wedding on 23 March.
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I want to be able to drive to my Probus club.
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I want to be able to shower and dress independently every day.
Break down long-term goals into stages
Long-term goals can take weeks or months to reach.
Each stage of a long-term goal can become a separate short-term goal, with progress recorded
and celebrated. A short-term goal is something you can achieve in one to two weeks.
A long-term goal might be: I want to go back to living independently. One of the short-term
goals on the way to achieving this might be: I want to be able to go to the toilet by myself.
The hospital team or community team can help you break down your long-term goals into shortterm goals.
See below for examples of short-term goals.
Goal-setting sheets
Use the long-term and short-term goal-setting sheets below to try setting your own goals.
Based on Goal planning, Older Person's Health Specialist Service, Canterbury DHB, ref. 3653. Adapted by
HealthInfo clinical advisers. March 2016.
23207 5
HealthInfo reference: 232075

Issued: 24 March 2016

Page 2 of 5
www.healthinfo.org.nz
Long-term goal setting sheet for:
Long-term goal:
(A long-term goal is something that can take weeks or months)
Target date for achieving my goal:
Short-term goals that will help me achieve my long-term goal:
Other plans to achieve my goal:
Long-t erm goal sett ing sh eet
HealthInfo reference: Long-term goal setting sheet  Issued: 16 December 2015  Page 1 of 1
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Short-term goal setting sheet for:
Short-term goal:
(A short-term goal is something you can achieve in one to two weeks)
Target date for achieving my goal:
Long-term goal that this is helping achieve:
Plan:
If/then plans:
(What will I do if something gets in the way of achieving my goals?)
Short-t erm go al s ettin g sheet
HealthInfo reference: Short-term goal setting sheet  Issued: 16 December 2015  Page 1 of 1
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Short-term goal setting sheet for:
Short-term goal:
Betty Hughes
To be able to go to the toilet by myself
(A short-term goal is something you can achieve in one to two weeks)
Target date for achieving my goal:
24th May
Long-term goal that this is helping achieve:
To go back to living independently
Plan:
Work on my balance.
Walk with the physio or nurse twice a day.
In the day time, I will walk to the toilet with the nurse keeping an
eye on me.
I will walk to the toilet at night with the nurse’s help.
Work on pulling my clothes up and down when I go to the toilet.
Make sure there is a high seat in the toilet.
If/then plans:
(What will I do if something gets in the way of achieving my goals?)
Short-t erm go al s ettin g sheet
HealthInfo reference: Short-term goal setting sheet  Issued: 12 January 2016  Page 1 of 1