A Perspective on How Rehabilitation Can Better Serve Older Adult Patients

The fastest growing segment of our population is the oldest portion of our population. Rehabilitative care is significantly impacted by this trend - comorbidity, disability, and pain are more prevalent among older adults, resulting in large demands for rehabilitation services as older patients traverse the health care continuum. Unfortunately, despite these circumstances, rehabilitation clinicians frequently are uninformed or intimidated with caring for an older patient. Research studies relevant to geriatric rehabilitation are seldom grounded on key frameworks impacting geriatric rehabilitative care. To address these gaps, in this editorial, we highlight three important frameworks that can help rehabilitation clinicians, educators and researchers alike to better focus their work on the needs and priorities of the older patient.