Effect of different residential settings on gait kinematic parameters in older adults with cognitive impairment

• Autor(a) principal: Marques, Nise Ribeiro
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: dos Santos, Ana Paula De Martini Lopes [UNESP], Camilo, Giovanna Ferreira [UNESP], Cardoso, Bruna Carvalho, Brando, Natalia Dias, Hoffman, Julia, Navega, Marcelo Tavella [UNESP], de Abreu, Daniela Cristina Carvalho Leite
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2020.102747; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/207002

Objective: To compare the parameters of gait kinematics of older adults with cognitive impairment who live in community dwellings or those living or spending most of the time in non-family environment settings. Methods: The sample was composed of 33 older adults of both sexes with cognitive impairment. Participants were separated into three groups: a community-dwelling older adult group comprised of 11 subjects; a semi-institutionalized older adult group comprised of 10 older adults attended in a geriatric daycare institution; and an institutionalized older adult group comprised of 12 older adults living in long-term institutions. Gait kinematics were recorded by pressure sensors (footswitches). Fifty gait cycles at self-selected pace were analyzed to obtain: gait speed, stride length, stance, swing, and stride time. The variability of these parameters was also analyzed. Results: MANCOVA identified the main effect of groups (p < 0.001). Gait speed of older adults living in long-term institutions and older adults attended in geriatric daycare institutions was slower than community-living older adults (p < 0.001 and p = 0.04, respectively). Swing and stride time variability was higher in older adults living in long-term institutions (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001) and in older adults attended in geriatric daycare institutions (p = 0.02 and p = 0.001) than in community-dwelling older adults. Conclusion: The most important finding was that older adults with cognitive impairment who need non-family residential setting care had higher gait kinematics abnormalities, which may increase the risk of falls, compared to those who live in the community.