Job loss occurs when a person is no longer able to perform basic daily activities, such as getting out of bed and changing clothes on their own.
By Fernanda Bassett, from Agência Einstein
A slow gait when walking can be considered a risk indicator of decreased functional ability in the elderly. Job loss is considered when the elderly are no longer able to perform basic daily activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, changing clothes on their own, standing from a chair without leaning on it, washing dishes, cleaning the floor, and even managing own money or using public transportation.
The observation of walking speed as a predictor of functional loss is already well known by professionals and has been confirmed by researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and University College London (UK) in a study published in Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscles. They assessed the physical condition and walking speed of more than 3,000 British elderly people over the age of 60 and found that slow walking precedes functional loss by a few years – hence the importance of spotting the problem early so it can be corrected. .
“Today we talk a lot about walking speed because it’s like the ‘translator’ of this old person’s muscles,” said Thai geriatrician Yoshimoto, of the Albert Einstein Israelita Hospital. The peak of bone and muscle occurs around age 30 and gradually decreases with age—the amount of muscle mass that interferes with how quickly people walk.
“As we get older, we naturally lose muscle mass, but that doesn’t mean we’ll lose our function. It’s different things. Older people will get slower over time, but they can maintain their functional abilities normally,” notes the geriatrician, adding: “When an elderly person loses these functions completely, they are at an advanced stage of loss and difficult to act. To return. That is why it is important to identify early,” Thais say.
How is the diagnosis made?
According to the Thais, there are many techniques for assessing the walking speed and functional ability of the elderly. One is to ask the elderly to walk a distance of 4.6 metres, with some markings on the ground, so that the exact speed at which they are walking can be calculated. By the final value, it is possible to determine whether this elderly person is outside the expected parameters of his age or not. Another diagnostic method is to measure hand strength, level of physical activity and weight loss in the past six months.
If intervention is needed, the main factor is the indication of physical activity, always accompanied by a health professional. “An elderly person who is physically active may not need physical therapy, but may have to do weight-lifting exercises to improve their strength,” explains Tayes. “It is very difficult to get an elderly person to gain muscle mass. He concludes that the goal of the intervention is that he does not lose his functional ability.”
Source: Einstein Agency
the post Slowness when walking may indicate decreased functional ability in the elderly first appeared Einstein Agency.
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