COVID-19: Rehabilitation of older people

NHS publications

• Your COVID Recovery - NHS England
  Portal of information and resources for those recovering from COVID and their families or carers.
   
• Allied health professionals’ role in rehabilitation during and after COVID-19 - NHS (Four Nations)
  This statement outlines the four nations’ collective strategic priorities and approach to AHP rehabilitation leadership during and after COVID-19.
   
• After-care needs of inpatients recovering from COVID-19 - NHS England
  This guidance, published in June 2020 and updated in August, supports primary care and community health services to meet the immediate and longer-term care needs of patients discharged following an acute episode of COVID-19, by describing the typical expected health care needs of these patients, post-discharge. 
   

• Getting the NHS back on track: Planning for the next phase of COVID-19 - NHS Reset/NHS Confederation
  As part of the NHS Reset campaign, this June 2020 report outlines the key challenges that local organisations will face over the coming months. It also suggests some changes in policy and practice that will be required as the NHS prepares to restart a wide range of services either paused or stopped when the pandemic struck.
   

• Framework for supporting people through Recovery and Rehabilitation during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic - Scottish Government
  This paper provides a strategic framework with overarching principles and high-level recommendations, which inform and shape the provision of rehabilitation and recovery services across Scotland for the coronavirus (COVID-19) period and post coronavirus (COVID-19).
   
• COVID-19: long-term health effects - Public Health England
  This document provides information on the health problems reported in COVID-19 cases following acute disease, and guidance for healthcare professionals on how to advise recovering COVID-19 patients.

Other public bodies

• Community health and care discharge and crisis care model: an investment in reablement - Local Government Association/Association of Directors of Adult Social Care
  This paper sets out the view of the Local Government Association (LGA) and Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS) that discharge to support recovery and assessment are key components of a person-centred community health and care model. The experience of responding to COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of this care being centred on the individual, providing safe, proactive care that maximises independence and wellbeing.

Occupational therapy and physiotherapy

• Rehabilitation and the Big Rehab Conversation - Royal College of Occupational Therapists
  Project by the RCOT to involve members of the rehabilitation community in conversations about reducing inequality and improving integration to help deliver the personalised and occupationally-focused rehabilitation which is urgently required in the wake of COVID-19.
   
• COVID-19: The Road to Recovery - Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
  Guide for patients on managing post-COVID symptoms and working towards physical recovery. Includes a patient-facing video and associated materials, such as an exercise plan and activity planner. 

Specialty-specific rehabilitation

• COVID-19 and Rehabilitation Medicine - British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine
  Collected resources including research papers, videos and blogs from the BSRM relating to rehabilitation following COVID-19 infection.
   
• COVID-19: Rehabilitation - Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care
  Links to relevant information collated by the ACPRC for considering long-term pulmonary, cardiac and neurological rehabilitation for COVID-19 patients.
   
• Recovering after COVID-19 - a practical guide for clinicians and commissioners - The Primary Care Respiratory Society
  A practical guide for clinicians and commissioners in supporting patients to recover after COVID-19.

Research evidence and journal articles

• Rehabilitation: COVID-19 Evidence-based Response - Cochrane Rehabilitation
  The aim of this resource is to focus on the timely collection, review and dissemination of summarised and synthesised evidence relating to COVID-19 and rehabilitation, to create an evidence-based answer repository to the newly-risen clinical questions and problems. It was developed by an International Multi-professional Steering Committee.
   
• De Biase S, Cook L, Skelton DA, Witham M, ten Hove R. The COVID-19 Rehabilitation Pandemic. Age and Ageing, afaa118;https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa118. (Open Access)
   
• Gray M, Bird W. Covid-19 will be followed by a deconditioning pandemic. The BMJ Opinion, 15 June 2020 (Open Access)
   
• Hall MS, Podlog L, Newton M, Galli N, Fritz J, Butner J, Greviskes L, Hammer C. Patient and practitioner perspectives of psychological need support in physical therapy. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice; 2020. (Paywall Access)