Inpatient Rehab Tied to More Days at Home After ICU Discharge

Millions of patients survive critical illness and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions each year, but this survival often comes with profound physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments [1]. The transition from the ICU to the general medical ward marks a highly vulnerable recovery period, with the vast majority of these patients remaining physically dependent and at high risk for long-term functional decline [2]. While early rehabilitation interventions during critical illness can improve short-term physical outcomes and reduce ICU-acquired weakness [3], the long-term impact of ward-based physical and occupational therapy remains less clearly defined. Comprehensive geriatric assessments and structured rehabilitation pathways have previously been shown to increase the likelihood of older adults returning to their own homes after emergency admissions [4]. Now, a recent retrospective cohort study offers fresh insights into how the precise dose of in-hospital rehabilitation influences a highly patient-centered metric, specifically the number of days older ICU survivors spend alive and at home after discharge.