Attention in Rehabilitation of the Older Adult with an Anthropological Approach

Authors

  • Yanet Pérez Morales Hospital Docente Clínico-Quirúrgico “Dr. Salvador Allende”. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Facultad "Dr. Salvador Allende", La Habana, Cuba. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8989-5191
  • Luben Gutiérrez Corvo Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Facultad “Manuel Fajardo”. Habana, Cuba. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8989-5191
  • Anays Cumba Savigne Hospital Docente Clínico-Quirúrgico “Dr. Salvador Allende”. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Facultad "Dr. Salvador Allende", La Habana, Cuba. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8034-2762
  • Blanca del Rosario Peña Nuñez Hospital Docente Clínico-Quirúrgico “Dr. Salvador Allende”. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Facultad "Dr. Salvador Allende", La Habana, Cuba. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4764-460X
  • María del Carmen Lamazares Pérez Hospital Docente Clínico-Quirúrgico “Dr. Salvador Allende”. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana, Facultad "Dr. Salvador Allende", La Habana, Cuba. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5120-4466

Keywords:

antropología médica; rehabilitación geriátrica; adulto mayor; fragilidad; vulnerabilidad

Abstract

Abstract:  

Introduction: Population aging in Cuba and Latin America demands the transformation of geriatric rehabilitation models, traditionally focused on functional indicators. This review examines the scientific literature addressing older adult rehabilitation from anthropological perspectives.  

Objective: To identify conceptual and methodological contributions that enrich rehabilitation care for older adults through an anthropological approach.  

Method: Publications were reviewed in the MedLine, Embase, Hinari, Lilacs, and SciELO databases, covering the period 2019-2025. The search terms included combinations in Spanish, English, and Portuguese of: "anthropology of aging," "geriatric rehabilitation," "frail elderly," "vulnerability," "ethnography," "culturally competent care," and "geriatric rehabilitation anthropology."

Development: Eighteen articles were identified, analyzing four thematic axes: 1) reconceptualization of frailty as relational vulnerability; 2) therapeutic itineraries and medical pluralism; 3) sociotechnical assemblages in digital rehabilitation; and 4) tensions between autonomy and dependence in institutionalized settings. The studies show that frailty emerges from relational configurations among bodies, technologies, and cultural meanings, rather than from purely biological deficits. Likewise, the importance of understanding the meanings that older adults attribute to their rehabilitation processes is highlighted, as well as the role of family and community in therapeutic adherence.  

Conclusions: The anthropological approach reveals rehabilitation as a process of reconfiguring social and symbolic relationships, rather than mere functional restoration. For Cuba, integrating this perspective into interdisciplinary teams is essential to develop person-centered interventions that consider the existential, relational, and cultural dimensions of aging. Further studies articulating medical anthropology with clinical practice are required to respond to the needs of a population aging in contexts of cultural diversity and social transformation.  

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Published

2026-03-26

How to Cite

1.
Pérez Morales Y, Gutiérrez Corvo L, Cumba Savigne A, Peña Nuñez B del R, Lamazares Pérez M del C. Attention in Rehabilitation of the Older Adult with an Anthropological Approach. GeroInfo [Internet]. 2026 Mar. 26 [cited 2026 Mar. 29];21:e393. Available from: https://revgeroinfo.sld.cu/index.php/gerf/article/view/393

Issue

Vol. 21 (2026): (Publicación Continua)

Section

Artículo de Revisión

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Copyright (c) 2026 Yanet Pérez Morales, Luben Gutiérrez Corvo , Anays Cumba Savigne, Blanca del Rosario Peña Nuñez, María del Carmen Lamazares Pérez

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