Mobility in old age

Immobility is common in older people and may impact on their dental care. Immobility in old age may have physical, psychological and environmental causes. Immobile elderly people often suffer from a number of diseases which worsen their mobility. Arthritis, osteoporosis, hip fracture, stroke and Parkinson's disease are among the most common causes of immobility in old age. Complications of immobility such as orthostatic hypotension may occur in the dental patient. Careful history-taking and a thorough physical examination by the physician are the most important parts of the assessment process. This assessment should lead to a list of active problems and treatment should then be aimed at these problems. Active management, carried out by the multidisciplinary team, will lead to improvements in mobility and lessen the frequency and severity of the complications of immobility. This broad description thus provides the basis for a wide understanding for the special problems that the immobile patient present to the practitioner and ways of overcoming the problems.