A hierarchical categorisation of tasks in mobility disability

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Disability in long-term care commonly refers to limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) or basic activities of daily living (BADL).
• Mobility limitations are also crucial indicators, particularly for preventive interventions and health promotion in elderly populations.
• Understanding the relationship between mobility and daily living activities is vital for comprehensive geriatric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a hierarchical structure of mobility tasks based on observed difficulties in community-dwelling elders.
• To investigate the correlation between this mobility hierarchy and disabilities in IADL and BADL.

Main Methods:

• Utilized self-reported difficulty data from a Taiwanese national database of individuals aged over 65.
• Categorized nine distinct mobility tasks based on their order of reported difficulty.
• Conducted correlation analyses to link mobility tasks with IADL and BADL tasks.

Main Results:

• A three-level hierarchy of mobility disability was identified: mild (4 mobility tasks), moderate (3 mobility tasks), and severe (2 mobility tasks).
• Mild mobility disability correlated with one IADL task difficulty, moderate with most IADL tasks, and severe with all BADL tasks.
• This hierarchical structure was consistent across both male and female participants.

Conclusions:

• A distinct hierarchical structure exists for mobility disability in older adults.
• The relationship between mobility hierarchy and IADL/BADL disabilities differs significantly.
• Disability assessments should incorporate specific mobility tasks to align with diverse care objectives.