Efetividade de uma intervenção fisioterapêutica cognitivo-motora em idosos institucionalizados com comprometimento cognitivo leve e demência leveEffectiveness of a cognitive-motorphysiotherapeutical therapy intervention in institutionalized older adults with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia

O objetivo do estudo é caracterizar o perfil demográfico e capacidades cognitivas e funcionais de idosos institucionalizados e não institucionalizados, verificando a associação com a função executiva. A amostra incluiu 25 indivíduos comunitários (20 mulheres; 69,52±8,99 anos) e 26 institucionalizados (11 mulheres; 74,69±7,94 anos; 47,03±58,31 meses de institucionalização). O grupo institucionalizado apresentou escores inferiores nas avaliações cognitivas e funcionais (ρ

Due to the high prevalence of wheel-chair use by institutionalized elderly people, the scope of this research was to verify whether factors involving gender, age, education, length of institutionalization, comorbidities, cognition and functionality are associated with the use of such equipment, as well as ascertain the reasons for use according to the perceptions of the elderly. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study that included 55 elderly people subdivided into G1 (locomotion without assistance) and G2 (wheelchair users). Analysis of the profile in medical records, cognition and functionality by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Barthel index was conducted. Wheelchair users asked about the factors that lead to wheelchair use were recorded: 33 (60%) of the elderly were in G1 and 22 (40%) in G2. There were differences between the groups with respect to functionality (p = 0.005). The elderly who have not suffered a stroke are less likely to use a wheelchair (OR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.36). Elderly wheelchair users reported: fear of falling, pain, tiredness, weakness in the legs, difficulty walking and lack of assistance in walking. Strokes and functionality are associated with wheelchair use. Knowledge of these factors and the reasons reported by the elderly may enable alternatives of prevention to be defined.

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Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary loss of urine through the urethra, which may cause many social and hygienic problems and changes that compromise social life such as depression, shame, and isolation, with higher prevalence in women than in men. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence in a sample of institutionalized elderly and analyze its relationship with sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, cognitive function, and functional independence. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory study. It included 27 seniors of both genders, living in a long-term care facility who met the inclusion criteria. Prevalence was determined by the percentage of elderly patients with urinary incontinence; sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities were evaluated through a standard history record, reviewed with data from medical records; cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, and functional independence was assessed using the modified Barthel scale, while the comparison between groups was made through the Student t test and the associations, through the chi-square test. Results: Nine subjects (33.33%) had urinary incontinence. There was an association between gender and urinary incontinence, with higher prevalence for females (p = 0.029). Urinary incontinence was associated with low educational level (p = 0.014), time at the institution (p = 0.004), functional classification (p = 0.003), and cognitive impairment (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Urinary incontinence is common in elderly residents in long term care facilities, with a higher prevalence in women and was associated with low education, longer time at the institution, greater dependence in performing activities, and greater cognitive impairment