Most critically ill adult patients require ventilatory support during their intensive care unit stay. Following discharge home patients often still suffer from reduced physical function, exercise capacity, health related quality of life and social functioning for at least 2 years. There is usually no support to address these longer term problems specific to critical illness for patients after hospital discharge. Little research has been carried out into interventions which could improve physical function and quality of life, or enhance speed of recovery in these patients. While there is evidence to support the rehabilitation of critically ill patients within intensive care units, there is a paucity of literature to support rehabilitation following discharge from intensive care and hospital. Therefore, there is a clear and urgent need to investigate interventions which could improve the recovery of patients discharged home after intensive care. This is emerging as a prominent therapeutic objective for the future for this population.