With recent medical, technological, and socioeconomic developments, people are living longer. The rising average age of the world’s population presents an opportunity to develop health policy that prioritizes functioning as a goal of healthy aging. In February 2024, the National Academies convened a hybrid workshop at the University of Lucerne in Switzerland to host a discussion focused on the World Health Organization’s concept of functioning. Speakers paid particular focus to healthy aging and the future of rehabilitation as a health strategy. Experts emphasized that the need for rehabilitation is increasing due to rapid population aging accompanied by a rise in physical and mental health conditions, limitations, and injuries. The associated economic and practical obstacles of optimizing functioning across the life course were also discussed.

Contents

• The National Academies of SCIENCES • ENGINEERING • MEDICINE
• PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR AGING, FUNCTIONING, AND REHABILIATION: A WORKSHOP
• Reviewers
• Acknowledgments
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Proceedings of a Workshop
  • WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
  • FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS
  • KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
  • FUNCTIONING AND REHABILITATION FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY
  • MAKING A COMPELLING INVESTMENT CASE FOR OPTIMIZING FUNCTIONING
  • IMPROVING REHABILITATION IN HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERY AND CARE ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE
  • FUNCTIONING AS THE FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY RESEARCH
  • ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY LONGEVITY
  • WRAP-UP
  • REFERENCES
• Appendix A. Statement of Task
• Appendix B. Workshop Agenda
• Appendix C. Concept Notes
• Appendix D. Participant Biographical Sketches

Suggested citation:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Aging, functioning, and rehabilitation: Proceedings of a workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/27763.

Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.17226/27763

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