MULTIPLE IMPAIRMENTS, TASK DEMANDS AND MOBILITY IN OLDER ADULTS

老年人的多重障碍、任务要求和行动能力

• 批准号: 6299333
• 负责人: Neil Alexander
• 金额: $ 17.32万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-04-01 至 2001-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6299333
• 关键词: accidental falls; aging; balance; biomechanics; clinical research; cognition disorders; functional ability; human old age (65+); human subject; leg; limb movement; muscle strength; neuropsychological tests; neuropsychology; performance; person with disability; physical fitness; questionnaires; vision disorders

Multiple, as opposed to single impairments are major contributors to falls and increased functional dependency. Examples of these impairments include visual, leg strength, and cognitive impairment. The effect of these impairments is magnified as the demands of a functional task increase. Furthermore, adding more impairments frequently yields a disproportionate increase in disability. Little is known regarding how combinations of impairments contribute to functional disability. Little is known regarding how combinations of impairments contribute to functional disability. Little is known regarding how individuals compensate for their impairments. Our Program data to date suggests that studies of other tasks and techniques are necessary to help explain the complex relationships among impairments, functional task demand and actual task performance. In this Project, we propose a more specific, controlled, and quantitative experimental approach as the next logical step. The goal of this study is to determine how losses in capabilities (strength, visual, and cognitive impairment) affect mobility-task performance (walking speed and stepping accuracy), particularly when mobility-task demands (increasing strength, visual, and cognitive demands) increase. We will study adults aged 60 and other with specific impairments: individuals who have, either singly or in combination, cognitive impairment, visual impairment, and lower extremity weakness. We chose these impairments based on their contribution to disability, falls, fall-related injury, and institutionalization. These individuals will perform walking-related tasks that provide increasing challenge, particularly with respect to their existing impairment. These tasks simulate a number of walking challenges that might be encountered daily by many older adults (such as stepping accurately to avoid an obstacle or slippery surface). These data will suggest the degree to which impairment must be decreased and/or task demand decreased in order to reduce real world functional disability.

与单一损伤相比，多重损伤是导致跌倒的主要原因