Page 36 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 34 improvement is observed in the group with a moderate cognitive decline
(18 ≤ MMSE ≤ 11 points), which is statistically significant (p = 0.005). A
statistically significant improvement was also observed in the group with
mild cognitive impairment (19 ≤ MMSE ≤ 23 points) (p = 0.005). The
improvement in the second assessment with the DEMMI test, which is
evident in the group with severe cognitive impairment, is not statistically
significant (p = 0.109). Discussion and conclusions: Existing research
shows the importance of adequate physiotherapy treatment of people
with cognitive impairment. Our research has also shown that targeted
physical therapy preserves or even improves the mobility of people with
cognitive impairment, regardless of the degree of the latter.
Keywords: cognitive impairment, mobility, physiotherapy
Introduction
The world’s population is ageing. In 2020, there were 727 million people aged
65 and above. Over the next 30 years, the world’s population aged 65 and above
is expected to more than double and reach more than 1.5 billion by 2050 (UN,
2020). At the same time, there is also an increasing number of people suffer-
ing from dementia. In 2020, there were 50 million people worldwide with de-
mentia. By 2050, that number is expected to rise to 152 million (Alzheimer’s
disease International, 2020). Due to the ageing of the world’s population, the
World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) emphasises the importance of im-
proving the lives of older adults and healthy aging. According to the WHO
(2020), healthy aging is »the process of improving or maintaining functional
abilities that enable wellbeing in older age« (WHO, 2020). Functional abilities
include mobility. Mobility is an umbrella term for changing and maintaining
body position (e.g. lying down, sitting, getting up) or moving in a position (e.g.
moving in a lying position from one side to the other) or from one place to an-
other. It also involves moving to different locations (e.g., at home) or moving
using different means of transportation (MKF, 2006).
In the elderly, the key factor for maintaining a good quality of life is pre-
serving good mobility (Le Grow et al., 2013). However, ageing is often associ-
ated with reduced mobility and decreased functional (Mahmood Khan, 2017)
and cognitive abilities (Murman, 2015). These changes are closely related. Re-
cent researchers (Pedersen et al., 2014; de Melo Borges et al., 2015) argue that
the elderly with mild cognitive impairment show more mobility limitations
compared to the elderly with intact cognition. In addition to the decline in cog-
nitive abilities, the factors influencing mobility in the elderly are reduced phys-
ical activity, obesity, decreased muscle strength, balance disorders and various
chronic diseases (Brown et Flood, 2013). The predominant chronic diseases as-
sociated with reduced mobility in older adults include hypertension, osteoar-
thritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes, and stroke
(Manini, 2011). Moreover, the occurrence of sarcopenia in old age and the asso-
ciated decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength also causes problems with
(18 ≤ MMSE ≤ 11 points), which is statistically significant (p = 0.005). A
statistically significant improvement was also observed in the group with
mild cognitive impairment (19 ≤ MMSE ≤ 23 points) (p = 0.005). The
improvement in the second assessment with the DEMMI test, which is
evident in the group with severe cognitive impairment, is not statistically
significant (p = 0.109). Discussion and conclusions: Existing research
shows the importance of adequate physiotherapy treatment of people
with cognitive impairment. Our research has also shown that targeted
physical therapy preserves or even improves the mobility of people with
cognitive impairment, regardless of the degree of the latter.
Keywords: cognitive impairment, mobility, physiotherapy
Introduction
The world’s population is ageing. In 2020, there were 727 million people aged
65 and above. Over the next 30 years, the world’s population aged 65 and above
is expected to more than double and reach more than 1.5 billion by 2050 (UN,
2020). At the same time, there is also an increasing number of people suffer-
ing from dementia. In 2020, there were 50 million people worldwide with de-
mentia. By 2050, that number is expected to rise to 152 million (Alzheimer’s
disease International, 2020). Due to the ageing of the world’s population, the
World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) emphasises the importance of im-
proving the lives of older adults and healthy aging. According to the WHO
(2020), healthy aging is »the process of improving or maintaining functional
abilities that enable wellbeing in older age« (WHO, 2020). Functional abilities
include mobility. Mobility is an umbrella term for changing and maintaining
body position (e.g. lying down, sitting, getting up) or moving in a position (e.g.
moving in a lying position from one side to the other) or from one place to an-
other. It also involves moving to different locations (e.g., at home) or moving
using different means of transportation (MKF, 2006).
In the elderly, the key factor for maintaining a good quality of life is pre-
serving good mobility (Le Grow et al., 2013). However, ageing is often associ-
ated with reduced mobility and decreased functional (Mahmood Khan, 2017)
and cognitive abilities (Murman, 2015). These changes are closely related. Re-
cent researchers (Pedersen et al., 2014; de Melo Borges et al., 2015) argue that
the elderly with mild cognitive impairment show more mobility limitations
compared to the elderly with intact cognition. In addition to the decline in cog-
nitive abilities, the factors influencing mobility in the elderly are reduced phys-
ical activity, obesity, decreased muscle strength, balance disorders and various
chronic diseases (Brown et Flood, 2013). The predominant chronic diseases as-
sociated with reduced mobility in older adults include hypertension, osteoar-
thritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, diabetes, and stroke
(Manini, 2011). Moreover, the occurrence of sarcopenia in old age and the asso-
ciated decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength also causes problems with
