Psychologic care of the older rehabilitation patient.

Rehabilitation of older persons must include adequately addressing psychologic issues. These issues range across detection and treatment of mental health problems, helping the team understand the patient's psychologic needs and characteristics and prepare for discharge back to the community. The older person is unique in many ways in rehabilitation and it is possible to overlook many important psychologic issues. Appropriate assessment is the beginning point of good treatment. However, proper treatment does not end with amelioration of mental health problems. Strengthening the older person's abilities to cope with life-long challenges also is important.