Rehabilitation of Older Patients with Chronic Kidney Diseases

Abstract

Elder people with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) can earlier develop motion limitation and disability than old people without CKD. The overall aim of rehabilitation is to enable people with disabilities to lead the life that they would wish. The rehabilitative interventions should be tailored on the individual effective needs of older people suffering from CKD considering stage of disease, complications, and comorbidities. Elders with early stage of CKD and not severe limitations have to perform regular aerobic and resistance training exercises, whereas an individualized-tailored rehabilitation project should be planned for old subjects with CKD and severe comorbidities. Occupational therapy can be an essential rehabilitative strategy in subjects with disability in activities of daily living (ADLs). In these subjects, proper programs should include home hazard assessments and incorporate balance, gait, and strength training to prevent falls. Interdisciplinary care team could be more effective than the usual single- or disease-centered approach in treating multisystem disorders of frail old people with CKD.