Questions That Matter
Managing Changes in Function After Illness or Injury
Health Guide No. 8, Published August 2026
This guide helps people manage changes in function by understanding recovery, staying safe, planning for everyday life, working with their support team, and finding resources that promote independence and participation in daily life at home, work, school, and in the community.
Primary audience: People experiencing changes in function due to illness, injury, disability, aging, or a new health condition, along with their families and caregivers.
Additional audiences: Healthcare professionals, rehabilitation professionals, care coordinators, case managers, discharge planners, employers, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and patient advocates.
Read the guide belowIncludes graphics and layout.
Designed for use with assistive technology.
Managing Changes in Function After Illness or Injury
Better healthcare depends on informed questions, engaged communities, and decisions that reflect people's needs.
This guide helps you manage changes in function by understanding recovery, staying safe, planning for everyday life, and finding helpful resources.
Example of How Illness or Injury May Change Everyday Life
Movement & Senses
- Walking or balance
- Vision or hearing
- Using hands or arms
- Strength or endurance
Communication & Thinking
- Speaking or understanding
- Thinking or memory
- Reading or writing
- Learning or concentrating
Daily Living
- Dressing or bathing
- Shopping or cooking
- Driving or travelling
- Caregiving or working
Recognizing Changes in Function
- Illness or injury may change how you approach everyday life.
- Changes in function may be temporary, permanent, progressive, or fluctuate over time.
- The impact of changes in function varies from person to person and may change over time.
Planning for Everyday Life
- Recognize that the support in healthcare settings may differ from what is available at home.
- Work with your healthcare team to plan for how changes in function may affect work, school, driving, caregiving, recreation, relationships, and other daily activities.
- Explore strategies, equipment, technology, or services that may help you continue important activities safely and independently.
- If considering assisted living or another residential care setting, compare quality of care, staffing, cleanliness, safety, services, and activities before making a decision.
Staying Safe
- Ask which activities you can safely do on your own and which may require assistance.
- Consider if equipment, technology, accommodations, or support may reduce your risk of injury.
- Reassess your abilities as your recovery or condition changes.
- Discuss safety concerns with your healthcare team and support network.
Understanding Disability
- Not everyone with changes in function identifies as having a disability, and not all disabilities are visible.
- Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
- Disability is about how changes in function affect everyday life, not simply a medical diagnosis.
- People with disabilities may be eligible for reasonable accommodations, supports, and legal protections.
Working with Your Support Team
- Develop a plan that reflects both your needs and the abilities of your family, friends, caregivers, or other people supporting you.
- Communicate openly about concerns, changing needs, and what is working and is not working.
- Be open to adjusting how support is provided as your needs and circumstances change.
Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Team
Consider the questions that may be helpful to your situation.
- What changes in function are expected to improve? What remains uncertain?
- How will my progress be measured?
- When should my treatment plan be reassessed?
- Do you have plain-language resources that explain my condition and treatment?
- Which activities can I safely do on my own?
- Which activities may require assistance or a different approach?
- What equipment, technology, or accommodations might help?
- What services, supports, or benefits might help me participate in everyday life?
- What support is available for my family or caregivers?
Finding Support
Services & Programs
- Rehabilitation services
- Home health or personal care
- Centers for Independent Living
- Home- and community-based services
- State Vocational Rehabilitation
- Peer support groups
Tools & Resources
- Durable medical equipment
- Assistive technology
- Healthcare apps
- Workplace or school accommodations
- Accessible transportation and disability parking
- Insurance benefits
Healthcare for people who live in the real world, not in a medical chart.
Your circumstances may change, but you are still you.
Note: This guide reflects the U.S. healthcare system and is a living document that continues to evolve.
Prepared by Cynthia Overton, PhD
Additional Resources from Other Organizations
- Center for Independent Living (ILRU Directory) (opens in a new tab)
Find a local Center for Independent Living that offers peer support, independent living skills training, advocacy, assistive technology information, transition services, and community resources that promote independence.
- Administration for Community Living – Eldercare Locator (opens in a new tab)
Connect with local services such as transportation, home-delivered meals, caregiver support, home modifications, legal assistance, and community-based programs that help people remain independent (many referrals extend beyond traditional elder services).
- Social Security Administration – Disability Benefits (SSDI and SSI) (opens in a new tab)
Learn about SSDI and SSI, eligibility requirements, the application process, and work incentives that may be available if a disability affects your ability to work.
Continue Learning
Keep exploring with another resource from the Center for Person-Centered Care.
Guide
Navigating Work During Illness or Injury
Learn how to navigate employment, workplace accommodations, leave options, and return-to-work planning.
Ask about the services, supports, accommodations, and resources that can help you remain as safe, independent, and engaged as possible.
The Health Guides, Visual Snapshots, and Clinical Practice Resources were reviewed by a physician for clinical accuracy and by other reviewers to improve readability, clarity, and ease of understanding.
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