Physical rehabilitation of the old, old patient.

An increasing number of persons over the age of 85 are surviving acute illnesses and are being referred for physical rehabilitation. There have been no reports in the United States literature about the effectiveness of rehabilitation for this age group. Results of treatment of 97 patients (one hundred consecutive admissions) who were referred by four general hospitals to a suburban physical rehabilitation center were examined and the patients followed for six to 18 months. Seventy-nine per cent of the patients showed improvement, 18 per cent stayed the same, and 3 per cent worsened. Seventy-one per cent either returned to the same setting as before hospitalization or moved in with family members after treatment. These results show that well-planned rehabilitation is effective in the very old patient.