Rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire healthcare system, from emergency care, intensive care units, internal medicine wards, outpatient care to home care. The pandemic continues and brings a large number of patients with COVID-19-associated postintensive care syndrome suffering from physical, mental and cognitive impairments that threaten their return to normal life. The complexity and severity of illness in patients recovering from severe COVID-19 requires a coordinated and systematic approach to be applied as early as possible during the recovery phase. Considering the multiorgan dysfunction, debility, pulmonary, neurological, neuromuscular and cognitive complications, rehabilitation professionals can play an important role in the recovery process for individuals with COVID-19. Complications of COVID-19 can be reduced by (1) multidisciplinary rehabilitation, which begins early and continues throughout the hospital stay; (2) providing patient/family education for self-care after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, and (3) continuing rehabilitation care in the outpatient setting, and at home either in person or with the help of telerehabilitation.