A sharp increase in life expectancy over the past century has led to a significant increase in demand for long-term medical and social care.
With aging, the reactivity of the body to the effects of the external environment changes, in particular, a decrease in resistance to pathogenic factors. Older people have chronic diseases (cardiovascular system, respiratory and digestive organs, central nervous system, joints, organs of vision and hearing, as well as diabetes, oncological diseases, etc.) that reduce physical and social activity.
Vascular diseases of the brain remain one of the most acute medical and social problems that cause enormous damage to society. A special place among them is occupied by cerebral stroke due to the high mortality rate, significant disability and social maladaptation of elderly patients. According to modern data, at least 1/3 of stroke patients develop motor function disorders on average. These disorders significantly worsen the daily functioning of the quality of life.
The aim of rehabilitation of elderly patients who have suffered a stroke is to return the patient to active social and household activities, create optimal conditions for his active participation in society and, ultimately, improve the quality of life of both the patient and his relatives. The task of psychological and physical recovery, social and labor adaptation of post-stroke patients is most successfully solved in the system of complex multidisciplinary rehabilitation. The lack of timely restorative treatment leads to irreversible anatomical and functional changes and a violation of the psychoemotional status of a person.
Evidence has been provided that physical rehabilitation measures for elderly patients can significantly improve the indicators of physical, mental and social functioning without increasing the risk of undesirable effects. Successful and safe interventions have made it possible to achieve the goal of rehabilitation, increasing the functional status of elderly patients and independence in everyday life, as well as reducing the burden of the disease for both the individual and his family and society as a whole.
