Longitudinal changes in mobility among nonagenarians: the Vitality 90+ Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Mobility Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited understanding of mobility changes in the very old (90+ years).
• Focus on predictors of mobility limitations, but pace and patterns remain understudied.
• This study investigates functional mobility changes over 2-9 years in individuals aged 90+.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in functional mobility among individuals aged 90 years and older.
• To identify patterns of mobility changes in this age group.
• To evaluate the effects of time, age, gender, cohort, and chronic conditions on mobility changes.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study using mailed questionnaires from 2001-2010.
• Included 948 participants from three cohorts, with 2-9 year follow-up.
• Multilevel ordinal logistic regression analyzed factors influencing mobility changes.

Main Results:

• Baseline mobility was better for younger old, men, and later cohorts; fewer chronic conditions correlated with better mobility.
• Most participants experienced mobility decline over the follow-up period.
• No significant differences in mobility decline rate by age or gender were found. Chronic conditions significantly affected mobility decline only in the 90-91 year subgroup.

Conclusions:

• Mobility decline rate is consistent across age and gender in the oldest old.
• Chronic conditions significantly impact mobility decline, particularly in the youngest of the oldest-old.
• Prevention efforts should target modifiable risk factors like muscle strength maintenance in the oldest-old population.