Perception of Rehabilitation Professionals about Characteristics of Older Patients and Aging

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study had three objectives: 1) to investigate the rehabilitation professionals' way of thinking on physical, psychological and social characteristics of older patients 2) to assess their actual knowledge level about aging; and, 3) to deduce and analyze the influences that cause these different kinds of perceptions and attitudes. METHOD: Total 239 rehabilitation professionals (including rehabilitation doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, psychologists, prosthetists & orthotists) responded to our questionnaire were included in this study. Self-addressed questionnaires were composed of two categories 1) the perception of older patients compared with younger patients and 2) the actual knowledge level about aging. RESULTS: 1) There were significant (p<0.05) differences by job classification on a speculative disposition with the physical characteristics, motive of treatment, emotional characteristics, and discharge problem of older patients. 2) There were also significant (p<0.05) differences by job classification in the actual knowledge level about aging by job classification. A higher score on the questionnaire correlated with a more optimistic view of the motive of treatment, emotional characteristic and discharge problem. CONCLUSION: Many rehabilitation professionals have a misconceptions about older patients due to insufficient knowledge on aging. Therefore we propose an objective understanding of older patients along with proper education on aging to provide an effective rehabilitation treatment.