Physiatry and Primary Care: A Potent Pairing for Older and Aging Adults

Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) for older adults is sometimes referred to as "prehab" vs "rehab," to focus on its role in helping individuals maintain strength, flexibility, and physical function as they age for as long as they are able to. In this Patient Care conversation with physiatrist Talya Fleming, MD, we discussed how primary care can incorporate PM&R into a patient's care plan along a continuum as well as what "yellow flags" to be on the look out for as a patient ages.

Talya Fleming, MD, is the medical director of the Stroke Recovery, Post-COVID Rehabilitation and Aftercare Programs at the Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, New Jersey, and a clinical associate professor at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.