Investigating the Characteristics of Rise to Walk for Geriatric Residents of Assisted Living Facilities

Abstract

Assessing functional mobility is an important aspect of determining fall risk in the growing population of assisted living. Little is known about the sit to walk (STW) transition, especially what characteristics correlate with the duration it takes to perform a STW. Methods In this cross sectional, exploratory study, 45 assisted living residents were evaluated for baseline measures: history of falls, assistive device (AD), lower extremity strength, and balance (Tinetti POMA). The residents were then timed performing a STW, and, from these durations, were stratified into fast and slow groups. Statistical analysis was performed to determine relationships between the two duration groups and the baseline measures. Results Participants who had experienced a fall were significantly more likely to use an assistive device (p = 0.001). The use of an AD had a moderate negative correlation with composite strength (r =-0.428, p = 0.003). Duration of STW had a weak negative correlation with composite strength (r =-0.299, p = 0.046) and a moderate correlation with use of AD (r = 0.419, p = 0.004). Those with a faster duration of STW had significantly better balance (p = 0.027). Conclusion These correlations support the need for healthcare professionals to address the use of adaptive equipment and physical training when evaluating functional mobility in assisted living residents. Providing appropriate equipment and improving overall strength in these individuals can help reduce their risk of falls. Individuals in assisted living facilities can be assessed similar to other geriatric populations, with special consideration on functional tasks and measures.

The Role of Balance Training on Risk and Prevalence of Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review

“…13,14) The prevalence of the use of these outcome measures throughout the studies supports the idea that fall risk assessment can be an important first step in establishing a fall prevention program. 17,18,19) The findings of this systematic review support balance training and the combination of balance and exercise training as an effective intervention in reducing falls. As previously stated, the type of balance training and length of the intervention period varied throughout the 10 studies.…”