Geriatric Amputee Rehabilitation

Comprehensive rehabilitation of the amputee should be more than the provision of a prosthetic device. This is especially true for the geriatric amputee, whose needs are greater because of comorbidity, fragile social supports, and limited resources. This article reviews demographic information as well as preventive, preoperative, and immediate postoperative care of the amputee. Phantom sensation and pain and their management are addressed. Prosthetic components selection and the rehabilitation in different environments are considered, as is the care of the bilateral amputee and the patient with dual disability.