Effectiveness of Physical Exercise in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation of Older Adults: A Scoping Review from the Perspectives of Physiotherapists and Rehabilitation Nurses

Background Stroke is defined by the World Health Organization as rapidly developing clinical signs of focal (or global) disturbance of cerebral functions, with symptoms lasting 24 hours or longer, or leading to death. It occurs due to a blocked or ruptured blood vessel in the brain, leading to impairments like hemiparesis, speech difficulties, and balance issues in survivors. Some of these defects can be recovered through physical exercises. Physical exercise plays a key role in post-stroke recovery, yet its optimal implementation requires a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. Objective This scoping review aims to synthesize current evidence on the effectiveness of various physical exercise interventions for post-stroke older patients, emphasizing on distinct but collaborative roles of physiotherapists and rehabilitation nurses. Methodology A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, focusing on studies published in English within 2020-August 2025 involving post-stroke older patients, with interventions involving physiotherapists, rehabilitation nurses, or both. Exclusion criteria included studies involving animals, studies centered solely on children, other neurological diseases, or not specifying outcomes of physical exercises on post-stroke patients. Results Through a proper investigation among peer-reviewed articles, this scoping review revealed shared understanding among physiotherapists and rehabilitation nurses regarding the importance of physical exercises for motor recovery, balance, and quality of life among post-stroke older patients. In contrast, several drawbacks were also identified through this scoping review including lack of understanding related to professional roles and responsibilities, a lack of interdisciplinary communication, and resource constraints. Conclusion A collaborative approach involving both physiotherapists and rehabilitation nurses leads to higher quality outcomes in older patients in post-stroke rehabilitation. A unified collective framework ensures patient-centered quality of care, maximizes functional, holistic recovery, and addresses both physical and psychological needs. Future research should focus on refining exercise protocols and collaborative models to address existing challenges and enhance recovery pathways among the affected population.