[Immobility syndrome in patients being care for in a home care unit]

to asses in a group of elderly patients included in a Home Care Unit, the level of immobility, the functional status based on the Katz's index and the Red Cross scale, and their medical, psychological and social consequences.

assessment of elderly patients visited during three consecutive months, through and standardized protocol with 14 items related with the previous aspects.

114 elderly patients (71% females) were visited during this time. The mean age was 82.4 years. 71 patients (65.7%) had immobility, with a mean age of 83.4 years and females predominance. Based on the level of immobility, 24 patients were in bed and 44 patients were able to be in bed-armchair. 74% of the patients were severely disabled on the activities daily living (Katz G); 85% of the patients had a severe physical disability (Red Cross scale 4-5), whereas a lower percentage (36%) had severe mental disability (Red Cross scale 4-5). Neurological disorders were the most frequent etiology of immobility (72%), with only one cause in 27 patients, two causes in 20 patients and more than three causes in 24 patients. Medical consequences were the most frequent, mainly urinary and chest infections, pressure sores and constipation.

Immobility's syndrome represents a common medical problem in the geriatric care, related specially with the neurological and osteo-articular disorders, conditioning a high mobility.