Re-Engaging in Activities of Daily Living After Critical Illness: A Qualitative Review.
Mitchell Williams, Luke Wakely, Susan Heaney and 2 others
PMID 41741373WHAT IT FOUND
Critical illness survivors described daily activity recovery as dominated by persistent weakness, fatigue, and memory problems, forcing home adaptations and family help that often felt burdensome.
These barriers can persist for months or years.
Key findings
01Across the included studies, 31 reported physical weakness and 24 reported fatigue as barriers to daily activities.
02Survivors modified homes, conserved energy, and limited driving to manage daily activities, but these strategies were time-consuming and reinforced dependence.
03Ten studies reported reliance on family for daily tasks, and five reported feeling a burden to family and friends.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only English-language studies were included, so relevant non-English experiences may be missing. Forty of the 44 studies were from Western countries, so findings may not apply everywhere. The review synthesised qualitative experiences, so it does not show that any intervention works. Critical illness was defined by ICU admission, but illness type, severity and time since admission varied widely. Not all ICU survivors have long-term impairment, so the themes may overrepresent difficult recoveries.
Declared interests
The work was supported by the University of Newcastle Australia, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the themes as evidence that any intervention improves daily activities after critical illness. The review describes survivors' experiences, not treatment effects.