Realising the right to rehabilitation—commentary on ‘reablement, rehabilitation, recovery: everyone’s business’

Abstract

Rehabilitation is a core component of comprehensive geriatric assessment and should be central to integrated care and support across the whole system. Yet access barriers and ageist practices still prevail within many rehabilitation services. This commentary reflects on a report and recommendations published by the British Geriatrics Society in May 2024. As lead author for the report, I share my personal reflection on the key messages and take this opportunity to thank the multidisciplinary contributors. Reablement, Rehabilitation, Recovery: everyone’s business describes why rehabilitation matters to older people and their caregivers. It provides evidence and examples of practice at different care touchpoints and makes the case that rehabilitation is everyone’s business and knows no boundaries, whether by condition, profession, care setting or taxonomy. The report sets out 12 key actions for health and care systems to deliver effective and integrated rehabilitation as a right for all older people, wherever and whenever they need it. To realise that right, health and care professionals must work together, and with their local community partners, to build capacity and capability for reablement, rehabilitation and recovery across the whole workforce. With population ageing and many more people living with frailty or multimorbidity, there is an urgent need for greater investment in rehabilitation to prevent, delay or reduce disability, caregiver burden and demand for long-term care. This timely BGS report should be essential reading for all who plan, commission, provide or assure health and care services for older people.