Rehabilitation of Hospitalized Patients: Contributions to Mobility
摘要
In Portugal, as in most European countries, increased life expectancy has led to a trend toward demographic aging, accompanied by a growing number of chronic diseases, comorbidities, and dependence on others for activities of daily living. Due to technological and scientific advances, it is clear that more and more people are surviving potentially fatal or disabling problems. However, it cannot be ruled out that at some point in their lives these people will need complex healthcare and prolonged hospital stays. Prolonged periods of hospitalization are associated with restricted mobility, so it is essential to understand the clinical implications of compromised mobility, namely the decrease in functional capacity that directly influences the ability to perform activities of daily living. In this regard, a rehabilitation project was implemented involving eight elderly people, with the aim of assessing the benefits of a motor rehabilitation program for with compromised mobility. The results confirmed that all participants showed significant improvements in their functional independence, with particular benefits in terms of muscle strength, body balance, ability to transfer and walk, and, consequently, independence in performing activities of daily living.