A systematic review of the qualitative literature on older individuals' experiences of care and well-being during physical rehabilitation for acquired brain injury.
Panagiota Lafiatoglou, Caroline Ellis-Hill, Mary Gouva and 2 others
PMID 34397112WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults after brain injury described wanting more frequent physiotherapy, family involvement, respectful communication, and choices in discharge.
Creative activities and feeling autonomous were linked with well-being. These are experiences, not proof of effect.
Key findings
01The review synthesized 17 qualitative studies involving 211 participants.
02Older adults wanted more frequent physiotherapy, and described family involvement as helpful for physical and emotional recovery.
03Well-being was linked with dignity, while paternalism, poor communication, low staffing, and waiting times were described as burdens.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only English-language studies were included. Most included studies were about stroke, so findings may not fit other acquired brain injuries. Many included studies mixed older and younger adults, so some themes may not be specific to older adults. A single author performed the search, screening, extraction, and appraisal, though all authors checked the process. Qualitative findings cannot prove that any intervention works or predict outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts. The paper names Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions as funder.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the themes as evidence that more physiotherapy, family involvement, or creative activities improve recovery. The review reports patients' experiences and associations, not tested effects.