Rehabilitation means helping someone recover their abilities, health, or place in society after an injury, illness, or mistake. When a person breaks their leg, they might need physical rehabilitation: working with a therapist to rebuild strength and learn to walk properly again. When someone has been in trouble with the law, rehabilitation programs help them learn new skills and better ways to make decisions so they can return to their community as a productive citizen.

A stroke patient might go through rehabilitation to regain the ability to speak or use their hands. An injured athlete undergoes rehabilitation to get back in the game. Rehabilitation programs can also help people overcome addiction and rebuild their lives.

Rehabilitation requires patience and effort from everyone involved. The person recovering must work hard, often doing difficult and sometimes painful exercises or learning new habits. Their teachers, therapists, and supporters must believe in their ability to improve. Unlike punishment, which focuses on what someone did wrong, rehabilitation focuses on helping them do better in the future.

When we talk about rehabilitating a building or neighborhood, we mean restoring it to good condition. But when we talk about rehabilitating a person, we're really talking about helping them become the best version of themselves.