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Use of mobility devices and changes over 12 months among very old people in five European countries.

Löfqvist, Charlotte LU ; Nygren, Carita LU ; Brandt, Åse LU ; Oswald, Frank and Iwarsson, Susanne LU (2007) In Aging clinical and experimental research 19(6). p.497-505
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mobility devices (MDs) such as walking sticks, rollators and wheelchairs, often play an important role for older people living at home, striving to remain independent in everyday activities. The aim of this study was to explore how the use of MDs changes over time among very old people in five European countries. METHODS: Empirical data from the ENABLE-AGE Survey Study, part of a major interdisciplinary research project carried out in Sweden (n=314), Germany (n=322), the United Kingdom (n=316), Hungary (n=179), and Latvia (n=225), were used. RESULTS: The use of MDs in the Swedish, German and UK samples showed a significant increase between the first occasion of data collection (T1) and the second (T2), 12 months later.... (More)
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mobility devices (MDs) such as walking sticks, rollators and wheelchairs, often play an important role for older people living at home, striving to remain independent in everyday activities. The aim of this study was to explore how the use of MDs changes over time among very old people in five European countries. METHODS: Empirical data from the ENABLE-AGE Survey Study, part of a major interdisciplinary research project carried out in Sweden (n=314), Germany (n=322), the United Kingdom (n=316), Hungary (n=179), and Latvia (n=225), were used. RESULTS: The use of MDs in the Swedish, German and UK samples showed a significant increase between the first occasion of data collection (T1) and the second (T2), 12 months later. A walking stick was the most common MD on both occasions, with the exception that the number of users of rollators outdoors exceeded the number of users of walking sticks in the Swedish sample at T2. Among non-users of MDs at T1, 12-21% became new users at T2. Continued use was seen between T1 and T2 (80-94%) in the various samples, but the type of MD used changed. In the Swedish, German and UK samples, significant changes were seen in the use of MDs with greater assistive potential over the year. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the pattern of MD use changes over a short period of time. More research is needed to determine outcomes of MD use in very old age, focusing on the extent to which MDs decrease disability during the aging process, not least in a European perspective. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Aging clinical and experimental research
volume
19
issue
6
pages
497 - 505
publisher
Kurtis
external identifiers
  • pmid:18172373
  • wos:000252318100011
  • scopus:36249031156
ISSN
1720-8319
project
Home, Health and Disability along the Process of Ageing
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Occupational Therapy (Closed 2012) (013025000)
id
a99632fe-3574-4a04-b1c0-b42ebc8148f5 (old id 1021657)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18172373?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:30:01
date last changed
2022-01-29 18:10:56
@article{a99632fe-3574-4a04-b1c0-b42ebc8148f5,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mobility devices (MDs) such as walking sticks, rollators and wheelchairs, often play an important role for older people living at home, striving to remain independent in everyday activities. The aim of this study was to explore how the use of MDs changes over time among very old people in five European countries. METHODS: Empirical data from the ENABLE-AGE Survey Study, part of a major interdisciplinary research project carried out in Sweden (n=314), Germany (n=322), the United Kingdom (n=316), Hungary (n=179), and Latvia (n=225), were used. RESULTS: The use of MDs in the Swedish, German and UK samples showed a significant increase between the first occasion of data collection (T1) and the second (T2), 12 months later. A walking stick was the most common MD on both occasions, with the exception that the number of users of rollators outdoors exceeded the number of users of walking sticks in the Swedish sample at T2. Among non-users of MDs at T1, 12-21% became new users at T2. Continued use was seen between T1 and T2 (80-94%) in the various samples, but the type of MD used changed. In the Swedish, German and UK samples, significant changes were seen in the use of MDs with greater assistive potential over the year. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the pattern of MD use changes over a short period of time. More research is needed to determine outcomes of MD use in very old age, focusing on the extent to which MDs decrease disability during the aging process, not least in a European perspective.}},
  author       = {{Löfqvist, Charlotte and Nygren, Carita and Brandt, Åse and Oswald, Frank and Iwarsson, Susanne}},
  issn         = {{1720-8319}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{497--505}},
  publisher    = {{Kurtis}},
  series       = {{Aging clinical and experimental research}},
  title        = {{Use of mobility devices and changes over 12 months among very old people in five European countries.}},
  url          = {{http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18172373?dopt=Abstract}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}