Effects of Light Conditions and Falls Concerns on Older Adults’ Gait Characteristics: A Preliminary Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 1332-1336
Author(s):  
Yue Luo ◽  
Xiaojie Lu ◽  
Nicolas S Grimaldi ◽  
Sherry Ahrentzen ◽  
Boyi Hu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Light Condition ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Human Gait ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Gait Characteristics ◽  
Maximum Value ◽  
Subject Factor

Falls are one of the main safety concerns for the aging population, possibly caused by the difficulty in maintaining the gait and balance during walking. Vision and psychological effects are reported to be major factors affecting human gait and balance. However, only a few studies have collectively investigated the effects of vision and psychological status on gait characteristics. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the gait characteristics of older adults with different falls concerns under usual ambient and visual-guided light conditions. Twelve community-dwelling adults (five males and seven females, seven with eye diseases, all over 75 years old, 164.5 ± 9.1 cm in stature) were recruited. Participants were instructed to walk from their bed to the bathroom with their normal walking speed four times (two light conditions x two repetitions). Participants’ gait characteristics, including the walking performance, posture, and stability measures, were compared using mixed analyses of variance with light conditions as the within-subject factor, and falls concerns as the between-subject factor. The study found: (1) When compared to the usual ambient night light condition, the lighting with a visual-based guiding prompted participants to have a lower maximum value of right hip flexion and a higher maximum value of trunk accelerometry. Higher confidence in walking and increased numbers of walking direction corrections might contribute to the changes under the visual-guided light conditions. (2) When compared to older adults with low fall concerns, those with high fall concerns demonstrated a slower walking speed as well as a reduction in motion smoothness.

scholarly journals Owners’ Perceptions of Pet influence: Relation to Health Outcomes & Pet Attachment in Community-Living Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 926-926
Author(s):  
Erika Friedmann ◽  
Nancy Gee ◽  
Eleanor Simonsick ◽  
Barbara Resnick ◽  
Erik Barr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Oblique Rotation ◽  
Fiscal Health ◽  
Pet Attachment

Abstract Pet ownership (PO) has been linked to better health outcomes in older adults, particularly those with chronic health conditions. It is suggested that pets influence their owners lives both by encouraging social interaction and by interfering with owners’ willingness or ability to seek care for themselves. We use data from 6 questions about the positive and negative influence of pets on community dwelling older adults’ administered to pet owners (N=223, age >=50 years) in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. We use principal components analysis (oblique rotation) to extract dimensions of owner’s perceptions of pet influences (PPI) and examine the relationship of these dimensions to owners’ cognitive, physical functional, and psychological status. Three dimensions of PPI include: fiscal/health challenges (F1: 3 items, alpha=0.70), wellness promotion (F2: 2 items, alpha=0.80); and reason for social/travel constraints (F3: 1 item). In regression analysis with all factors entered simultaneously, after controlling for age, higher magnitude of F1 significantly independently predicted poor physical quality of life (p=.0007), greater perceived stress (p=0.041), and lower happiness (p=0.014); F2 did not independently predict any health outcome; higher F3 significantly independently predicted lower emotional vitality (p=0.048). Controlling for age, all three factors were independent predictors of pet attachment (p’s=0.001, 0.010, 0.047, respectively). F1 and F3 were positively and F2 was negatively correlated with attachment. PPI was associated with owners’ physical and mental health. Perhaps older adults with higher attachment to pets are more likely to keep them despite higher challenges.

scholarly journals Motoric cognitive risk syndrome and incident dementia in older adults from the Québec NuAge cohort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Beauchet ◽  
Harmehr Sekhon ◽  
Liam Cooper-Brown ◽  
Cyrille P Launay ◽  
Pierrette Gaudreau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Slow Walking ◽  
Cognitive Risk ◽  
Incident Dementia ◽  
Cognitive Complaint ◽  
Slow Walking Speed

Abstract Background The co-occurrence of slow walking speed and subjective cognitive complaint (SCC) in non-demented individuals defines motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), which is a pre-dementia stage. There is no information on the association between MCR and incident dementia in Québec’s older population. Objective The study aims to examine the association of MCR and its individual components (i.e. SCC and slow walking speed) with incident dementia in community-dwelling older adults living in the province of Québec (Canada). Design Québec older people population-based observational cohort study with 3 years of follow-up. Setting Community dwellings. Subjects A subset of participants (n = 1,098) in ‘Nutrition as a determinant of successful aging: The Québec longitudinal study’ (NuAge). Methods At baseline, participants with MCR were identified. Incident dementia was measured at annual follow-up visits using the Modified Mini-Mental State (≤79/100) test and Instrumental Activity Daily Living scale (≤6/8) score values. Results The prevalence of MCR was 4.2% at baseline and the overall incidence of dementia was 3.6%. MCR (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 5.18, with 95% confidence interval (CI) = [2.43–11.03] and P ≤ 0.001) and SCC alone (HR = 2.54, with 95% CI = [1.33–4.85] and P = 0.005) were associated with incident dementia, but slow walking speed was not (HR = 0.81, with 95%CI = [0.25–2.63] and P = 0.736). Conclusions MCR and SCC are associated with incident dementia in NuAge study participants.

scholarly journals Walking Speed Threshold for Classifying Walking Independence in Hospitalized Older Adults

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (11) ◽  
pp. 1591-1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Graham ◽  
Steve R. Fisher ◽  
Ivonne-Marie Bergés ◽  
Yong-Fang Kuo ◽  
Glenn V. Ostir
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Cut Point ◽  
Risk Threshold ◽  
Risk Thresholds ◽  
Hospitalized Older Adults

Background Walking speed norms and several risk thresholds for poor health outcomes have been published for community-dwelling older adults. It is unclear whether these values apply to hospitalized older adults. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the in-hospital walking speed threshold that best differentiates walking-independent from walking-dependent older adults. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods This study recruited a convenience sample of 174 ambulatory adults aged 65 years and older who had been admitted to a medical-surgical unit of a university hospital. The participants' mean (SD) age was 75 (7) years. Fifty-nine percent were women, 66% were white, and more than 40% were hospitalized for cardiovascular problems. Usual-pace walking speed was assessed over 2.4 m. Walking independence was assessed through self-report. Several methods were used to determine the threshold speed that best differentiated walking-independent patients from walking-dependent patients. Approaches included a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity and specificity, and frequency distributions. Results The participants' mean (SD) walking speed was 0.43 (0.23) m/s, and 62% reported walking independence. Nearly 75% of the patients walked more slowly than the lowest community-based risk threshold, yet 90% were discharged home. Overall, cut-point analyses suggested that 0.30 to 0.35 m/s may be a meaningful threshold for maintaining in-hospital walking independence. For simplicity of clinical application, 0.35 m/s was chosen as the optimal cut point for the sample. This threshold yielded a balance between sensitivity and specificity (71% for both). Limitations The limitations of this study were the small size of the convenience sample and the single health outcome measure. Conclusions Walking speeds of older adults who are acutely ill are substantially slower than established community-based norms and risk thresholds. The threshold identified, which was approximately 50% lower than the lowest published community-based risk threshold, may serve as an initial risk threshold or target value for maintaining in-hospital walking independence.

scholarly journals Self-Selected Walking Speed Is Predictive of Daily Ambulatory Activity in Older Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Addie Middleton ◽  
George D. Fulk ◽  
Michael W. Beets ◽  
Troy M. Herter ◽  
Stacy L. Fritz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Functional Status ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Activity Monitoring ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Ambulatory Activity ◽  
Steps Per Day ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Insight Into

Daily ambulatory activity is associated with health and functional status in older adults; however, assessment requires multiple days of activity monitoring. The objective of this study was to determine the relative capabilities of self-selected walking speed (SSWS), maximal walking speed (MWS), and walking speed reserve (WSR) to provide insight into daily ambulatory activity (steps per day) in community-dwelling older adults. Sixty-seven older adults completed testing and activity monitoring (age 80.39 [6.73] years). SSWS (R2 = .51), MWS (R2 = .35), and WSR calculated as a ratio (R2 = .06) were significant predictors of daily ambulatory activity in unadjusted linear regression. Cutpoints for participants achieving < 8,000 steps/day were identified for SSWS (≤ 0.97 m/s, 44.2% sensitivity, 95.7% specificity, 10.28 +LR, 0.58 −LR) and MWS (≤ 1.39 m/s, 60.5% sensitivity, 78.3% specificity, 2.79 +LR, 0.50 −LR). SSWS may be a feasible proxy for assessing and monitoring daily ambulatory activity in older adults.

scholarly journals Toe flexor strength is associated with mobility in older adults with pronated and supinated feet but not with neutral feet

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Kusagawa ◽  
Toshiyuki Kurihara ◽  
Aiko Imai ◽  
Sumiaki Maeo ◽  
Takashi Sugiyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Chair Stand ◽  
Foot Posture ◽  
Toe Flexor Strength ◽  
Flexor Strength

Abstract Background: Older adults are known to have more pronated foot posture and decreased toe flexor strength (TFS), as well as decreased mobility in daily life compared to young adults. Although foot posture is reported to be an influential factor for walking biomechanics in young adults, there is less information on this subject in older adults. Age-related reduction in TFS is shown to be associated with impairments of functional performance, but it is poorly understood whether foot posture influences the relationships between TFS and functional performances. Therefore, the present study aimed to elucidate this concern by examining older women. Methods: Seventy community-dwelling older women (76.8 ± 4.4 years) voluntarily participated in this study. Foot posture was evaluated by the 6-item foot posture index (FPI). Based on the FPI score, participants were allocated to pronated, neutral, or supinated group (n = 33, 26, and 11, respectively). TFS was assessed using a toe grip dynamometer in a seated position. Scores of 30-second chair stand, timed up-and-go, 5-m comfortable-speed walking, and static balance tests were determined to evaluate functional performances. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were computed to examine the relationships between TFS and functional performances in each group. Results: TFS positively correlated with comfortable walking speed in the pronated (r = 0.37, p = 0.03) and supinated (r = 0.76, p < 0.001) groups, but not in the neutral group (r = 0.17, p = 0.42). For the two significant relationships, an analysis of covariance showed that there was no significant difference between the pronated and supinated groups in the slopes of the regression lines, suggesting a similar relative contribution of TFS to comfortable walking speed between the two groups. In addition, TFS tended to negatively correlate with timed up-and-go time in the pronated (r = -0.32, p = 0.07) and supinated (r = -0.56, p = 0.08) groups, and positively correlate with 30-second chair stand score in the pronated group (r = 0.31, p = 0.08). Conclusions: The present study indicates that TFS would be associated with mobility, walking performance in particular, in older women with pronated and supinated feet but not with neutral feet.

scholarly journals Relationship between Psychological Status and Health Behaviors during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic in Japanese Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11512
Author(s):  
Shuichi Hara ◽  
Hiroko Miura ◽  
Tsuyoshi Hita ◽  
Sahara Sasaki ◽  
Hidetoshi Ito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Family Structure ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Structure Evaluation ◽  
Stress And Health

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to be a widespread pandemic. We investigated the relationship between anxiety/stress and health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in homebound Japanese older adults during January and February 2021. We surveyed 1507 community-dwelling, older Japanese adults using a self-administered questionnaire on primary attributes, including family structure, evaluation of psychological anxiety/stress, and health behaviors. Participants were divided into four anxiety/stress groups based on the frequency of experiencing anxiety/stress, and their association with health behaviors was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Responses were received from 469 (31.1%) respondents. In the bivariate analysis, age and family structure were significantly associated with anxiety/stress (p < 0.01). The health behaviors significantly associated with anxiety/stress were walking, balanced eating habits, limited snacking, regular lifestyle, and dental visits. Logistic regression analysis was performed using the variables in the bivariate analysis that showed a significant association with anxiety/stress status as independent variables. Finally, age and dietary habits were significantly associated with anxiety/stress status. No significant associations were found between any other variables. Among older adults living in the rural areas of Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety/stress status was significantly associated with age and dietary habits but not with other health behaviors.

scholarly journals Motor-Cognitive Neural Network Communication Underlies Walking Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria N. Poole ◽  
On-Yee Lo ◽  
Thomas Wooten ◽  
Ikechukwu Iloputaife ◽  
Lewis A. Lipsitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Network Communication ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

scholarly journals Fatigue-Related Factors for Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Diabetes: A Theory-Guided Multi-Dimensional Approach Using the Dynamic Biopsychosocial Model

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (22) ◽  
pp. 4502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyerang Kim ◽  
Heesook Son
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Biopsychosocial Model ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Fatigue Score ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Older adults with diabetes appear more susceptible to fatigue compared to younger adults with diabetes or healthy older adults, since aging and diabetes independently and synergistically influence fatigue. Few studies have investigated fatigue in older adults with diabetes using a multidimensional approach. This study explored the influences of physical, psychological, interpersonal, and contextual factors on diabetes fatigue using a dynamic biopsychosocial model. Face-to-face surveys were administered to community-dwelling older adults with diabetes and included variables across four domains (i.e., physical, psychological, interpersonal, and contextual factors). Univariate analyses and multiple linear regression were used. The mean fatigue score was 3.94 (standard deviation (SD) = 1.81) out of 7, and the prevalence of fatigue was 48.8%. Significant differences in fatigue severity by psychological, interpersonal, and contextual factors were found. Comorbidity and psychological factors were significant predictors of fatigue in the model, explaining 31.9% of the variance. As nearly half the sample experienced moderate or severe fatigue, which was significantly influenced by both comorbidity and psychological factors, including depression, sleep quality, and diet-related psychological characteristics, assessing patients’ psychological status may be important. Awareness of fatigue could be incorporated into dietary interventions for older adults with diabetes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document