Page 40 - 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 38 the group with moderate cognitive decline (p = 0.005) and mild cognitive de-
cline (p = 0.005). In addition, a statistically significant difference between the
first and the second DEMMI test was shown in the analysis of the whole sample
(p <0.001). In the group with severe cognitive decline, we were unable to con-
firm a statistically significant difference between the first and the second DEM-
MI test (p = 0.109).
Discussion
This research retrospectively examined the effect of physiotherapy treatment
on the mobility of older adults with different stages of cognitive decline hospi-
talised in the Gerontopsychiatric Unit at the University Psychiatric Clinic Lju-
bljana. In addition, we wanted to determine whether the effect of physiothera-
py treatment differs depending on the degree of cognitive decline.
Previous research showed that smaller cognitive impairment is associat-
ed with better mobility of an individual (Buchman et al., 2011; Pedersen et al.,
2014; De Melo Borges et al., 2015). Our findings confirmed that the highest av-
erage score on DEMMI test was achieved by the group with a mild cognitive
impairment, followed by the group with a moderate cognitive impairment. The
group with a severe cognitive impairment achieved the lowest average score on
the DEMMI test. After 14 days of physiotherapy treatment, there was a statis-
tically significant improvement in mobility in the whole sample at the second
assessment (p < 0.001). Additionally, the average results of the second DEMMI
test were higher in individual groups. The greatest and statistically significant
progress in mobility was observed in the group with a mild cognitive impair-
ment (p = 0.005), followed by the group with a moderate cognitive impair-
ment (p = 0.005). The smallest amount of progress, which was not statistical-
ly significant, was shown in the group with severe cognitive impairment (p =
0.109). Less progress in more cognitively impaired individuals can be attribut-
ed to poorer understanding of instruction (Machiels et al., 2017), poorer perfor-
mance of complex motor tasks (Wu et al., 2015), and complex ADLs (Perneczky
et al., 2006). Furthermore, our findings coincide with those indicated in sever-
al research previously conducted, reporting a positive effect of physiotherapy
treatment on improving the functional abilities of individuals with cognitive
decline (Kovacs et al., 2013; Lam et al., 2018; Gomboc, 2019).
There are important limitations in our research as we included only a
small nonrepresentative sample of 34 patients with varying degrees of cogni-
tive impairment. A larger sample would reduce the possibility of random er-
rors in the analysis. In addition, cooperation of a person with cognitive impair-
ment varies daily, which is a challenge in working with people with cognitive
decline. In order to better understand the effect of physiotherapy treatment, we
suggest further research should be conducted in this field. Prospective research
is needed to determine whether the frequency and the duration of physiother-
apy treatment plays an important role in mobility outcome.
cline (p = 0.005). In addition, a statistically significant difference between the
first and the second DEMMI test was shown in the analysis of the whole sample
(p <0.001). In the group with severe cognitive decline, we were unable to con-
firm a statistically significant difference between the first and the second DEM-
MI test (p = 0.109).
Discussion
This research retrospectively examined the effect of physiotherapy treatment
on the mobility of older adults with different stages of cognitive decline hospi-
talised in the Gerontopsychiatric Unit at the University Psychiatric Clinic Lju-
bljana. In addition, we wanted to determine whether the effect of physiothera-
py treatment differs depending on the degree of cognitive decline.
Previous research showed that smaller cognitive impairment is associat-
ed with better mobility of an individual (Buchman et al., 2011; Pedersen et al.,
2014; De Melo Borges et al., 2015). Our findings confirmed that the highest av-
erage score on DEMMI test was achieved by the group with a mild cognitive
impairment, followed by the group with a moderate cognitive impairment. The
group with a severe cognitive impairment achieved the lowest average score on
the DEMMI test. After 14 days of physiotherapy treatment, there was a statis-
tically significant improvement in mobility in the whole sample at the second
assessment (p < 0.001). Additionally, the average results of the second DEMMI
test were higher in individual groups. The greatest and statistically significant
progress in mobility was observed in the group with a mild cognitive impair-
ment (p = 0.005), followed by the group with a moderate cognitive impair-
ment (p = 0.005). The smallest amount of progress, which was not statistical-
ly significant, was shown in the group with severe cognitive impairment (p =
0.109). Less progress in more cognitively impaired individuals can be attribut-
ed to poorer understanding of instruction (Machiels et al., 2017), poorer perfor-
mance of complex motor tasks (Wu et al., 2015), and complex ADLs (Perneczky
et al., 2006). Furthermore, our findings coincide with those indicated in sever-
al research previously conducted, reporting a positive effect of physiotherapy
treatment on improving the functional abilities of individuals with cognitive
decline (Kovacs et al., 2013; Lam et al., 2018; Gomboc, 2019).
There are important limitations in our research as we included only a
small nonrepresentative sample of 34 patients with varying degrees of cogni-
tive impairment. A larger sample would reduce the possibility of random er-
rors in the analysis. In addition, cooperation of a person with cognitive impair-
ment varies daily, which is a challenge in working with people with cognitive
decline. In order to better understand the effect of physiotherapy treatment, we
suggest further research should be conducted in this field. Prospective research
is needed to determine whether the frequency and the duration of physiother-
apy treatment plays an important role in mobility outcome.
