Rehabilitation refers to the specialized healthcare dedicated to improving, maintaining or restoring physical strength, cognition, and mobility with maximized results. Rehabilitation helps people gain greater independence, especially after a severe injury, disease or surgery.

Rehab can also be defined as the process of helping an individual achieve the highest level of function, independence and quality of life possible. However, rehab does not necessarily reverse or undo the damage caused by the disease or trauma, but rather helps restore optimal health, functioning and well-being to a patient.

People of any age can avail rehabilitation services but since senior citizens benefit the most as they are senile, de-conditioned and sensitive, progress and recovery may be slow especially if they suffer from a chronic condition as well. Results of rehabilitation depend upon the kind of disorder or disability and the patient’s motivation to get better.

Inpatient Physical Rehabilitation Centers offer rehab services to elderly people in a residential setting and could be located inside of hospitals, such as assisted living facilities and nursing homes. These centers usually provide round-the-clock supervision in which the sufferer’s progress is regularly monitored. They are usually well equipped to conduct various therapies to treat conditions like:

• Fractured or broken hip
• Joint injury or replacement
• Amputation
• Arthritis of the spine and other joints
• Neurological conditions: Brain injury, Aneurysm, Nerve
• Parkinson’s disease
• Stroke
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Tumor/Cancer
• Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease

Health care workers involved in the rehab centers includes physicians, physical therapists, occupational and speech therapists, nurses and social workers. The type of treatment required can range from regaining communication skills, improving mobility, strength training for using wheelchairs and walkers, carrying out daily activities, and improved muscle function to emotional support to help elderly patients who may have suffered a life-altering event.

An interdisciplinary approach is best because disability can lead to various problems. Some patients may require psychologic intervention and help from social workers or mental health practitioners.

If you plan for a rehab at home, make sure the setting is entirely up to the mark and there aren’t any loopholes in it. The room of the patient must be neat and tidy with all the required things well placed in order to avoid the rush when you need something urgently. The bed too should be comfortable with the right kind of mattress on it in order to avoid any disruptions. Try and find the best memory foam mattress for restoring sleep and sanity of the patient.

To initiate formal rehabilitation therapy, a physician must write a referral/prescription to a physiatrist, therapist or rehabilitation center stating the diagnosis and goal of therapy. The diagnosis may be specific or functional but goals should be as specific as possible (e.g. training to use a prosthetic limb).

Initial evaluation aims for restoring mobility and functions needed to do ADLs, which include caring for self (grooming, bathing, dressing, feeding, and using the restroom), cooking, cleaning, shopping, managing medicines and finances, using the telephone and traveling. The referring physician and rehabilitation team decide which activities are achievable and also essential for the patient’s independence.

Patients improve at different rates; some courses of therapy last for a few weeks’, others for months depending on the patient’s condition and their involvement in the therapy.

Patient and family education is an important part of the rehabilitation process, particularly when the patient is discharged in to the community. Patients are taught how to maintain their newly regained functions and how to minimize the risk of accidents (falls, burns, cuts) and secondary disabilities. Family members are taught how to help the patient to be as independent as possible, so that they do not overprotect or neglect the patient’s primary needs.

Emotional support from family members and friends is essential. Also, in some cases spiritual support and counseling by religious advisors can be indispensable. Adjustments at home to prevent falls and injuries, daily home exercise schedule, vibration training, video-game-based rehabilitation, and Tai-Chi are interventions that are being used to improve the quality of life for the elderly with chronic neurologic diseases.