Rehabilitating the frail and elderly on renal replacement therapy

The World Federation of Occupational Therapists defines Occupational Therapy as "...the treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions through specific activities in order to help people reach their maximum level of function and independence in all aspects of daily life." Occupational Therapy has long been associated with the frail and elderly, both in hospital and the community. In the United Kingdom however, it appears formal input to the renal multidisciplinary team is a relatively new development. Certainly across Europe, none of us needs reminding of the increasing incidence of older patients with renal failure. United Kingdom figures released in the Second Annual Report of the UK Renal Registry in December 1999 state that, "At the start of treatment 46% of patients were aged 65 or more" (1).