Medical expert of the article
New publications
Rehabilitation of the elderly
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
There are several types of rehabilitation for the elderly:
- medical - restoration of lost functions of organs and systems;
- psychological - restoration of the patient’s adequate (proportionate) response to changes in the external and internal environment;
- social - restoration of the patient's ability to independently (self-care) and with dignity exist in society;
- labor - restoration of a person's ability to work in general and professionally in particular.
For elderly and senile people, the minimum rehabilitation goal is to restore the ability to self-care, allowing them to feel independent, and the maximum is to restore their ability to work.
Rehabilitation of the elderly has several goals:
- reactivation - increased motor and cognitive activity of the patient;
- resocialization - providing the elderly with equal social opportunities;
- reintegration - adaptation of a geriatric patient to life in a microsocial environment.
Rehabilitation of elderly people is carried out in the following areas:
- medical - provision of medical care;
- gerontopological care - solving general physiological and psychological problems of the patient;
- social - provision of social assistance;
- educational - informing society about the characteristics of the aging body, the capabilities and needs of older people;
- economic - providing people of the “third age” with material well-being and equal opportunities to participate in the economic life of society;
- professional - realization of the possibilities of residual working capacity.
Depending on the duration of rehabilitation measures, the following are distinguished:
- rehabilitation of elderly people in acute conditions (the main actor is a doctor);
- rehabilitation of elderly people in subacute conditions (carried out by a doctor and a nurse);
- long-term rehabilitation (carried out by medical and social services).
Rehabilitation of the elderly requires compliance with the following rules:
- carrying out rehabilitation measures according to the planned plan (it is necessary to familiarize the patient with it);
- periodic, regular monitoring of the functions of organs and systems (pulse, number of respiratory movements, blood pressure, general well-being, etc.);
- support and develop the patient’s faith in the success of rehabilitation measures, noting the slightest positive changes in his health;
- do not do for the patient what he can do himself;
- Classes must be systematic, activities must be comprehensive.
[ Who to contact?