10 Chapter 1 2050.1 For western countries these numbers are even higher, with in 2022 a share of 17-19% of those aged 65 or above, which is expected to rise to 24-27% in 2050.1 This ageing of the population is associated with an increase in multimorbidity and geriatric syndromes such as frailty, impaired cognition, incontinence, and gait and balance problems, leading to an increased risk of disabilities with impairments in functioning in daily life.2-4 Frailty and multimorbidity increases the likelihood of adverse outcomes, such as hospitalization, functional decline and mortality.5 Common reasons for hospitalization in older persons are cardiac events, infections, fall related injuries, stroke, cancer, or medical/surgical interventions.6 These indications may result in older persons not being able to return home after hospitalization. In addition, during hospitalization 40% of the frail older persons may experience hospitalization-associated disabilities, which can also result in being unable to return home.5,6 Reasons for not being able to return home are, among other things, reduced independence in performing activities of daily living, and reduced strength and endurance. Rehabilitation can facilitate older persons returning home after hospitalization by supporting them in their recovery. Therefore, in total 11% of those aged ≥ 75 years are referred to a (geriatric) rehabilitation unit after hospitalization.7 Geriatric Rehabilitation Geriatric Rehabilitation is a relatively young field of interest in both clinical practice and scientific research and is recently defined as “a multidimensional approach of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, the purpose of which is to optimize functional capacity, promote activity and preserve functional reserve and social participation in older people with disabling impairments.”8 Despite this consensus definition, there are international differences in the way geriatric rehabilitation is offered and in inclusion criteria. For example, difference exist regarding from what age someone has access to geriatric rehabilitation or if there has to be an acute decline before admission.8,9 These differences make it difficult to define worldwide numbers of older rehabilitants in geriatric rehabilitation. In the Netherlands, 54.910 persons were referred to geriatric rehabilitation in 2021, which is organized by nursing homes.10 With a total number of 3.5 million persons over
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