Geriatric hemodialysis rehabilitation care

The 2 objectives of this review are to provide background information about functional status in older dialysis patients and to discuss the utility of geriatric dialysis rehabilitation. We performed a literature search using PubMed and MedLine. All relevant texts were reviewed for information on functional status and disability in the renal population and in the general population. Data pertaining to geriatric rehabilitation and geriatric dialysis rehabilitation were also reviewed. We show how disability and functional limitations are more prevalent in populations with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared with those with only mild stages of CKD. We describe data showing that dedicated geriatric dialysis rehabilitation units, using interdisciplinary care models, result in more than 70% of patients meeting their rehabilitation goals and being successfully discharged home. Nephrologists increasingly will be faced with problems arising from functional decline. We conclude by offering suggestions for future changes that may help to stem the rising tide of dialysis disability.