[Mobility and safety for elderly (MoSi), a new intervention to improve mobility and gait in elderly people]

Abstract

Background: "Mobility and safety for the elderly (MoSi)") is a new intervention, especially designed for elderly people with gait disorders and for fallers.

Method: 165 persons, 65 years or older, participated in this study.The participants were assessed prior to and after the 5-week intervention. The intervention included various elements of strength and balance training, stretching, reaction and coordination training, and information. The participants were instructed about how to prevent falls and what measures to take after a fall has occurred. Furthermore, they were taught home exercises. The intervention was set in an ambulatory physiotherapy department and consisted of 10 training sessions.

Results: Participants reported improved performance of gait (66 %), gait security (66 %), power (65 %), balance (62 %), sense of security (61 %) capacity (70 %) and well being (63 %).The Berg Balance Scale and the Balance test of the "Tinetti Balance Scale" showed significant improvements (p<.001). The Timed Up and Go Test, the gait test of the Tinetti Balance Scale showed improvements in persons with very impaired gait (p<.005). The Repeated Chair Stands Test showed no significant improvements. 137 (95 %) of the participants stated they would continue the exercises at home, 112 (79 %) stated they would continue the exercises under therapeutic supervision.

Discussion: The results show that the intervention is able to improve mobility and gait of elderly persons, subjectively and objectively, especially of persons with impaired gait. The motivation effect of the intervention was high which was marked by the large number of participants which wanted to continue their exercises at home. Furthermore, the intervention resulted in participants reporting improvements in other parameters such as capacity and well being.

Conclusion: The intervention is able to improve important measures of balance in community dwelling older people. However, the effect on the number of falls still has to be investigated. The intervention is suitable for an ambulatory setting and shows significant effects after a short time. Due to the intervention's compactness it is appropriate for persons who normally would avoid training programs because of the duration.