Research Hotspots and Development Trends of Reablement From 1999 to 2025: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to explore the current research status, hotspots, and emerging trends of reablement and provide references for further research in this field. Methods: English-language literature related to reablement was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database, covering the period from January 1, 1999 to October 20, 2025. The software CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to conduct visual bibliometric analyses of eligible publications, including annual publication output, countries, authors, institutions, cited references, and keywords. Results: A total of 276 publications were included. Overall, the number of publications showed an increasing trend over time. The United States contributed the largest number of publications, followed by Australia and Norway, and Resnick was the most productive author. The top five keywords by frequency were “older adults”, “reablement”, “intervention”, “people”, and “physical activity”. Intervention studies and qualitative studies were the main research types, with application-focused research hotspots primarily concentrated on improving physical activity among service recipients. Conclusions: Research on reablement has attracted increasing attention. Future studies should focus on conducting high-quality empirical research to identify optimal intervention strategies, as well as sensitive assessment tools and outcome indicators. In addition, researchers are encouraged to draw on existing experiences to actively promote home-based reablement services and explore the development of reablement models tailored to national contexts.