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You are here: Cancer information / Diagnosis and treatment / Rehabilitation

Glossary

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation and adjusting to life with cancer is a part of cancer care and treatment. Rehabilitation is a process that assists a person with cancer to regain their ability to function at the highest level possible, given any limits created by the disease or its treatment. It can begin as soon as a person is first diagnosed and a treatment plan is made or started after treatment is finished.

 

Many people diagnosed with and treated for cancer need some type of rehabilitation to help them:

  • adapt to physical or cognitive changes
  • be as physically independent as possible
  • regain their ability to perform daily activities
  • deal with emotional, social or vocational aspects

 

Each person with cancer has unique rehabilitation needs. There are many people on the healthcare team who specialize in areas designed to help a person obtain or maintain good function. Some rehabilitation specialists:

  • provide exercise programs or physical therapy
  • provide advice on how to do activities of daily living or can suggest or make adaptive devices (occupational therapy, prosthetics or orthotics)
  • treat speech or communication problems (speech therapy)
  • provide employment or job counselling (vocational counselling)
  • provide emotional support and help with some of the practical and social issues

 

More and more people are living with cancer because cancer treatments are improving.

References

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If you are outside Canada

We can give information about cancer care and support services in Canada only. To find a cancer organization in your country, visit Union for International Cancer Control or International Cancer Information Service Group.