The importance of medical rehabilitation for the health of the elderly

As we get older, everyone will face changes in physical and emotional conditions that have an impact on their life. Decreased bodily functions, persistent illnesses, and mental disorders due to rapid changes are just a few examples. This is where the role of medical rehabilitation for the elderly is needed.

Medical rehabilitation is useful so that the elderly are able to live independently without always having to depend on other people. In this way, the elderly can enjoy their retirement with a quality life.

If the benefits are so great, then do elderly people who are not sick also need to undergo medical rehabilitation?

The goal of medical rehabilitation for the elderly

Source: Aging in Places

Launching the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, medical rehabilitation in general is the process of restoring the ability, function, and quality of life of someone who has physical disabilities or limitations.

The goal of medical rehabilitation is not to heal, but to restore the patient's role as a whole human being by overcoming the health problems he experiences. That way, he can return to living his life normally.

The same principle applies to medical rehabilitation for the elderly. The elderly are very susceptible to health problems, namely hearing problems, malnutrition, and depression. The elderly are also prone to injury because they easily forget and fall over.

Medical rehabilitation aims to deal with these problems. For example, if an elderly patient has impaired balance and gait, the goal of rehabilitation is to train the patient's body coordination so that he can walk or change positions with less risk of falling.

Meanwhile, the elderly with hearing loss have different goals for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation aims to restore or at least prevent hearing loss from getting worse so that patients can move safely and comfortably.

What do the elderly do in a medical rehabilitation facility?

Rehabilitation facilities provide care and / or recovery services for elderly people who are sick, injured, or have a disability. Rehabilitation facility patients are usually elderly who get referrals from the hospital.

There are various officers who treat elderly patients at the rehabilitation center, including nurses, physical therapists, hearing experts, and other medical personnel as needed. They are led by a doctor who serves as the medical director.

Patients in the rehabilitation center undergo treatment according to their medical history. Some conditions may require medical treatment such as giving antibiotics, injections, and others. Treatment can be short term or long term, depending on the patient's condition.

Although it varies, the whole series of medical rehabilitation in the elderly certainly cannot be done quickly. This process takes time, and is generally carried out in three steps:

1. Address major medical conditions (eg hearing problems or dementia) and keep the patient's condition stable.
2. Prevent further complications such as malnutrition, depression, decreased thinking ability, and so on.
3. Restores functions and abilities that were lost due to physical limitations.

During medical rehabilitation, the therapist is responsible for a number of preventive measures. The preventive measures referred to are as follows:

1. Primary prevention

The therapist is responsible for primary prevention, namely keeping the elderly healthy so they don't get sick or experience them impairment . Impairment is a decrease in body structure or function that makes it difficult for the patient to carry out daily activities.

2. Secondary prevention

In secondary prevention, elderly people who are sick or have experienced impairment need to undergo treatment so as not to experience a disability. If the patient has a disability, he will find it difficult to do activities that should be easy for the elderly.

3. Tertiary prevention

If the patient is sick, experience impairment , especially if they have a disability, therapists need to take tertiary prevention efforts. This effort aims to ensure that elderly people with disabilities do not suffer from disabilities.

Does every elderly need to undergo medical rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation is generally aimed at people who have experienced injuries or illnesses so that their bodily functions are impaired. However, for those who are elderly, medical rehabilitation has even greater benefits.

Medical rehabilitation is not only intended for sick elderly people, but also healthy elderly people who need to monitor their health. Sooner or later, they will need rehabilitation to reduce the risk impairment , disability, and disability.

Examination during rehabilitation is also useful for detecting health problems, illnesses, as well as physical and psychological decline in function. Ensure that the elderly who live with you have access to medical rehabilitation so that they can enjoy a higher quality twilight.

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