Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment in institutionalized and community dwellers elderly people

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the values of the balance and gait subscales  of the performance oriented mobility assessment in institutionalized and community dwellers elderly people. Two groups of elders were evaluated: 20 institutionalized (70,05±10,35 years) and 20 community dwellers elderly people (73,9±9,39 years). The values of the subscales of balance and gait were compared through Student t test (p≤0,05). The results showed that the values obtained in the balance subscale in the community dwellers elderly people (X=13,35±3,35) were significantly higher (p=0,03)   than the values obtained in institutionalized elders (X=11,7±2,9). For the gait, there were no significant differences (p=0,06)  between the institutionalized (X=8,2±3,32) and community dwellers elderly people(X=9,6±2,13). The dates of this study revealed that there was greater balance compromising in institutionalized elders, showing the necessity of intervention preventive programs for this change.