Rehabilitation addresses the impact of a health condition on a person’s everyday life, by optimizing their functioning and reducing their experience of disability. Rehabilitation expands the focus of health beyond preventative and curative care, to ensure people with a health condition can remain as independent as possible and participate in education, work and meaningful life roles. Anybody may need rehabilitation at some point in their lives, whether they have experienced an injury, disease, illness, or because their functioning has declined with age.
Globally, 1 in 3 people today are estimated to be living with a health condition that benefits from rehabilitation. This need for rehabilitation worldwide is predicted to increase in the coming years, due to changes in the health and characteristics of the population. For example, people are living longer, but with more chronic disease and disability. In addition, many people are living with mid- and long-term consequences of COVID-19 and in need of rehabilitation to recover from the disease.
A large number of countries are not equipped to respond to existing rehabilitation needs. In some low- and middle-income countries, more than 50% of people do not receive the rehabilitation services they require.
Including children with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability is disability inclusion. This involves more than simply encouraging children; it requires making sure that adequate policies and practices are in effect in a community or organization.
Inclusion should lead to increased participation in socially expected life roles and activities—such as being a student, worker, friend, community member or patient.
Socially expected activities may also include engaging in social activities, using public resources such as transportation and playgrounds, moving about within communities, receiving adequate health care, having relationships, and enjoying other day-to-day activities.
“People with disabilities are a gift for the family and an opportunity to grow in love, mutual aid and unity… If the family, in the light of the faith, accepts the presence of persons with special needs, they will be able to recognize and ensure the quality and value of every human life, with its proper needs, rights and opportunities.”
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