Rehabilitation for Specific Conditions

Older adults can have many health conditions that affect their body or brain. Rehabilitation can help them work better and do more in their daily lives.

Stroke

People who survive a stroke may have weakness on one side of their body. They may also have trouble moving, speaking, swallowing, seeing, or thinking. Rehabilitation can help stroke survivors recover their abilities or make the most of what they have. It can also help them stay involved in their community and train care partners to help.

Speech and language therapy is very important for stroke survivors who have trouble speaking or understanding language. This is especially true for anyone who needed a breathing tube or machine to breathe during their hospital stay.

Dysphagia

Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing. It often affects older adults with conditions like dementia or head and neck cancer. Trouble swallowing can affect how much a person eats and drinks. It can also lead to pneumonia. Speech-language pathologists play a key role in checking for and treating dysphagia.

Treatments may include changes to food texture, head or body position, special tools, and electrical stimulation.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Rehabilitation therapists work as part of a care team to treat diseases that slowly damage the nervous system. Therapists teach older adults, their families, and care partners about the disease. They give advice on managing daily tasks. They also create exercise programs and help with symptoms. This helps improve quality of life. One example:

• Parkinson disease is a brain disease that affects movement. It can cause disability, raise the risk of falls and injuries, and make it hard to speak or swallow. Physical therapists help with assistive devices and home changes to keep people safe and independent. Occupational therapists help people with Parkinson disease control their movements during tasks like eating and getting dressed. They also provide tools to help with daily activities. Speech therapy can improve speaking, swallowing, and communication.

Falls and Broken Hips

• Balance problems and falls affect many older adults. At least one in four older adults falls at least once a year. Falls cause most broken hips and are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury in older adults. Falls have many causes. Programs based on research can help prevent them. These programs are often offered at community centers for older adults.
• Hip fractures happen to about 300,000 older adults in the United States each year. About 75 percent of survivors get back to their previous level of function, but most have some limits in how they move. Up to half still need a walking aid. People with dementia often have a harder recovery. Rehabilitation in the hospital focuses on managing pain, encouraging movement, and preventing problems. After leaving the hospital, rehab includes weight-bearing exercises, walking with aids, building muscle strength, and balance training to lower the chance of falling. Daily activity training and safety tips may also be included.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis damages joints and makes it hard for older adults to do daily tasks. It also causes a lot of pain. Rehabilitation focuses on managing pain, improving joint movement, and building muscle strength. It also helps older adults do more on their own. Personalized exercise programs, special equipment, patient education about arthritis, and weight management can also help.

Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US. It is diagnosed most often in older adults. Common treatments include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. These treatments can cause pain, limit daily activities, and create other problems.

A thorough assessment can find impairments and activity limits that may need rehabilitation. Common services help improve thinking, balance, and movement, and reduce pain. Building strength, improving daily activities, and teaching care partners can also help. These services can benefit older adults even if they are not expected to survive cancer.

Head and neck cancer rehabilitation may require a speech-language pathologist to address speech, swallowing, and other related problems.

Genitourinary and Gastrointestinal Disorders

Older adults may have problems with their bladder or bowels. These can be caused by physical problems or side effects of medicines. A thorough assessment can find the cause and help create a care plan. Bladder training, which uses education and behavior changes, can help. Cutting out certain foods or other triggers that cause irritation may also help.

Some older adults may need treatment for pelvic floor weakness. This can cause problems with urination, sexual activity, or pelvic pain or organ damage. Pelvic physical therapy may include exercises to strengthen or relax muscles, or electrical stimulation, among other treatments.

Occupational therapy can help older adults use the toilet more easily by helping them manage clothing, get on and off the toilet, or use helpful equipment.

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers