title: Aging with a disability.
abstract: This focused review highlights important issues in the care of persons who are aging with a disability. It is part of the study guide on geriatric rehabilitation in the Self-Directed Physiatric Education Program for practitioners and trainees in physical medicine and rehabilitation. This article specifically focuses on significant medical and rehabilitation issues pertinent to persons with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, postpoliomyelitis syndrome, and selected other neurologic and neuromuscular diseases. In addition to normal physiologic aging, people with these conditions often experience secondary complications and accelerated impairments because of aging itself. These complications are described, and monitoring strategies and treatment are recommended.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To summarize issues in the care of persons aging with a disability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. jamie.stroupe@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klingbeil
authors.forename: Heather R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Baer
authors.forename: Pamela E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation