title: Rehabilitation of the geriatric surgical patient: predicting needs and optimizing outcomes.
abstract: Geriatric surgical and trauma patients often require institutionalization following acute hospitalization, generally related to frailty. The potential need for rehabilitation can be assessed using various tools. Once the likelihood of rehabilitation needs is established, early involvement of the rehabilitation team is warranted. Rehabilitation interventions can be initiated during acute hospitalization, and even in the intensive care unit. The rehabilitation team addresses a tremendous spectrum of issues, and targeted interventions are carried out by various team members. There are many gaps in current knowledge of the benefits of rehabilitation interventions. Understanding common standardized assessment tools is important to assess the literature and advance the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, 777 Bannock Street, MC 0206, Denver, CO 80204, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA. Electronic address: walter.biffl@dhha.org.
authors.forename: Walter L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Biffl
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, 777 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Biffl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: Frailty; Functional assessment; Functional outcome; Geriatric; Geriatric rehabilitation; Rehabilitation; Surgery