The Big Picture
The goals of rehabilitative and restorative care depend on the client’s condition. Many clients want to rely less on others and become more independent.
The goal will not look the same for every client. One person might work toward returning to a former level of function. Another might improve certain abilities, learn new skills, or prevent further health problems.
Restorative care also looks at the whole person. Physical health matters, but emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health matter too.
Look for Nova Scotia CCA Notes throughout this page for current provincial guidance.
Quick tip: Tap, click, or press Enter on any term with a dotted underline and an ⓘ icon to see its plain-English definition.
Start Here If You’re Overwhelmed
Focus on these core ideas:
- Rehabilitative care aims for the highest possible level of functioning and supports quality of life and independence.
- Restorative care aims to prevent health deterioration, support quality of life, and restore previous functioning as much as possible.
- Main goals include restoring function, improving abilities, learning new skills, and preventing further disability or illness.
- The client’s condition affects which goals are appropriate.
- Restorative care considers physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health.
- Older clients often need slower rehabilitation because recovery can take longer.
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Course Notes: Key Ideas You Need to Know
Rehabilitative Care
Rehabilitative care is the process of helping a person reach the highest possible level of functioning through therapy, exercise, and other methods.
It can focus on maintaining function or slowing a decline in function. Its goals include supporting the client’s quality of life and independence.
Restorative Care
Restorative care focuses on preventing health deterioration and maintaining or improving quality of life. It also aims to restore the client toward their previous functional level as much as possible.
The Four Main Goals
Rehabilitative and restorative care goals are based on the individual client’s condition. The goals may include four main areas.
1. Restore Function to Former Levels
Some clients work toward returning to the level of functioning they had before an illness or injury.
Full restoration is the goal for most clients with acute or temporary conditions. For example, a person recovering from a simple leg fracture might work toward full recovery.
2. Improve Functional Abilities
Returning completely to a former level of function is not possible for every client.
In these situations, the goal is to improve abilities as much as possible. A client might work on mobility or become more independent with activities of daily living, ADLs.
3. Learn New Skills
A client might need new skills to adjust to a disability or limitation.
For example, a person who loses the ability to speak after removal of the larynx might work on another way to communicate, such as sign language.
4. Prevent Further Disability and Illness
Care can also focus on preventing complications that cause more disability or illness.
Immobility can lead to pressure ulcers or contractures. Supported preventive measures include:
- proper skin care
- exercise and activity
- good alignment
- frequent repositioning
Rehabilitation Goals Depend on the Client
Different conditions lead to different rehabilitation goals.
A client with hemiplegia, paralysis of one side of the body, might need to maintain current range of motion, ROM, adapt to a wheelchair, and perform self-care.
A client recovering from cocaine addiction might have goals of restoring healthy physical and psychological functions and preventing relapse. The client will learn to avoid situations where drugs are present and will be encouraged to join Narcotics Anonymous, NA.
A client who has had a heart attack might have the goal of preventing another heart attack. The rehabilitation program should include counselling that recommends exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques.
A client who has had a stroke might need to restore function and learn new ways to communicate. Preventing another stroke through medication, exercise, and a healthy diet is also a goal. The family needs to learn how to help with the client’s care.
A client recovering from a hip fracture might work toward returning to former functioning and remaining in their own home. The client also needs to take measures to prevent another fall.
Rehabilitation in Older Clients
Rehabilitation often takes longer for older clients.
Age-related changes can affect:
- healing
- mobility
- vision
- hearing
- other functions
Older clients often have chronic health problems that slow recovery. They are also at risk for injuries.
Older clients do not tolerate long or fast-paced rehabilitation programs. Their rehabilitation is therefore usually slower.
Restorative Care When a Client Is Too Weak for ADLs
Some clients are too weak to perform their activities of daily living, ADLs.
Restorative care may include measures that promote:
- self-care
- elimination
- positioning
- mobility
- communication
- cognitive function
- prevention of unnecessary decline in function
Restorative Care Looks at the Whole Person
Illness and disability can affect several areas of a client’s health.
Restorative care addresses the whole person instead of focusing only on physical function. The main dimensions include:
- physical health
- emotional health
- social health
- intellectual health
- spiritual health
Nova Scotia CCA Note
Sorrentino’s Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker, 5th Edition uses physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health when teaching whole-person restorative care on this page.
Current Nova Scotia CCA standards use broader holistic care wording. They describe holistic care as addressing physical, social, cultural, mental, environmental, and spiritual well-being. The standards also say CCAs support personal choice and self-determination and look for opportunities to maximize a person’s abilities. (novascotiacca.ca)
Why this matters in Nova Scotia: Keep the Sorrentino categories for this study topic, while recognizing that current Nova Scotia CCA standards use a broader holistic-care framework.
Official source: Continuing Care Assistant Occupational Standards of Practice (novascotiacca.ca)
Last checked: September 8, 2026
Physical Health
Physical health includes the client’s condition and ability to perform ADLs.
Professionals assess these areas during rehabilitation. The client, family, and caregivers continue to monitor them.
Physical restorative care can include:
- preventing complications
- performing ROM exercises
- learning or relearning self-care skills
- learning or relearning mobility skills
Clients rebuilding joint and muscle strength and function often experience pain.
An important part of rehabilitation is learning to cope with physical pain without misusing or becoming addicted to opioid pain relievers, alcohol, or nonprescription drugs.
Emotional and Social Health
Illness and disability can affect emotional and social well-being.
Professionals can assess these areas. Support may include family counselling and help with returning to the community or workplace when needed.
Intellectual Health
Intellectual health includes areas such as:
- thinking
- speech
- memory
- organization
These areas are assessed. Measures to improve cognitive functioning are planned.
Spiritual Health
Spiritual health forms another part of whole-person care.
Counselling from spiritual advisors is provided as needed.
Fast Review
Use these points for a quick review before a quiz or exam.
- Rehabilitative care aims for the highest possible level of functioning while supporting quality of life and independence.
- Restorative care aims to prevent health deterioration, support quality of life, and restore previous functioning as much as possible.
- Goals depend on the client’s condition.
- Four major goals are restoring former function, improving abilities, learning new skills, and preventing further disability or illness.
- Full recovery is not the goal for every client. Some clients work toward the best functional ability possible.
- Older clients often need slower rehabilitation because age-related changes and chronic health problems can slow recovery.
- Restorative care for clients who are too weak for ADLs can support self-care, elimination, positioning, mobility, communication, cognitive function, and prevention of unnecessary decline.
- Whole-person restorative care includes physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health.
- Physical care includes monitoring function, preventing complications, ROM exercises, self-care, and mobility skills.
- Emotional and social support can include assessment, family counselling, and help returning to the community or workplace.
- Intellectual care considers thinking, speech, memory, organization, and cognitive functioning.
- Spiritual counselling is provided as needed.
Final Pep Talk
This topic has several goals and dimensions of health, so focus first on the four main goals and the whole-person categories. Once those two groups feel familiar, the supporting details become easier to organize and review.