Abstract:

The establishment of rehabilitation services for the disabled elderly is complex: "optimal function" may not be compatible with the older person's usual environment, & active patient involvement in the rehabilitation process may be difficult to achieve. Physician training & health care system characteristics also contribute to a discrepancy between rehabilitation needs & available services for older persons: rehabilitation training is typically not viewed as an essential part of medical education, & priorities are largely focused on technological advances that facilitate accurate diagnosis & prolonged patient survival. Convincing third-party payers that small gains in functioning are significant in older persons will not be easy, but rehabilitation services are an important investment in decreasing the older person's risk of rehospitalization & increasing their quality of life.