Innovations in Rehabilitation to Enhance Abilities and Quality of Life
A special issue of Journal of Ageing and Longevity (ISSN 2673-9259).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 422
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The global population is aging rapidly, with individuals aged 60 and older now outnumbering children in many countries. According to UN projections, by 2030, one in six people globally will be aged 60 or older. This shift is driven by longer life expectancies and declining birth rates. Additionally, advances in healthcare, nutrition, and living standards mean that people are living longer. Healthy aging is becoming a priority, with efforts underway to extend working lives and improve quality of life. One way in which aging individuals have been able to enjoy improved abilities and quality of life is through innovative rehabilitation efforts.
Rehabilitation is the act of restoring someone to health after an illness or injury, with the aim of achieving an optimal level of independence. The World Health Organization defines rehabilitation as “a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment” (WHO, 2024). It is estimated that 2.4 billion individuals globally are living with a health condition that could benefit from rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation is person-centered, targeting individual patient-specific goals, and may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech–language therapy, music therapy, recreational therapy, physiatry, nursing, and social work, requiring a multidisciplinary team. Whether provided in an inpatient, outpatient, or community- or home-based setting, rehabilitation is rapidly advancing with the introduction of advanced technologies and innovative therapeutic and educational approaches. These innovations include, but are not limited to, alternate treatment platforms such as tele-rehab and gamification, robotics, wearable sensors, motion capture and analysis, biofeedback, stem cell therapies, bioprinting, virtual and augmented reality, smart home technologies, and artificial intelligence.
Rehabilitation services are essential in helping an individual adapt to new physical and psychological challenges and cope with chronic conditions and in enhancing the quality of life for individuals and their care partners as they face various health challenges. This Special Issue will focus on cutting edge innovations in the rehabilitation field and their impact on quality of life and functional outcomes.
References
World Health Organization (WHO). Rehabilitation. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rehabilitation (accessed on 31 October 2025)
Dr. Stephanie A. Kolakowsky-Hayner
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- rehabilitation
- functional outcomes
- quality of life
- disability
- rehabilitation technology
- innovation
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