The impact and use of walkers among older adults: A pilot

Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics

Volumn 27, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 36-72

  Thomas, Bronwen ^a   Connelly, Denise ^b   Laliberte Rudman, Debbie ^b  

^a MCMASTER UNIVERSITY   (Canada)

^b UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO   (Canada)

Author keywords

Aging; Assistive devices; Disability and Health; Impaired mobility; International Classification of Functioning; Walkers

Indexed keywords

EID: 70649101315     PISSN: 02703181     EISSN: 15413152     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/02703180802275327     Document Type: Article

References (84)

1. Agree, E.M. (1999). The influence of personal care and assistive devices on the measurement of disability. Social Science & Medicine, 48, 427-443. doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(98)00369-4 (Pubitemid 29023276)
2. American Thoracic Society. (2002). ATS statement: Guidelines for the six-minutewalk test. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 166, 111-117.
3. Bautmans, I., Lambert, M. & Mets, T. (2004). The six-minute walk test in community dwelling elderly: Influence of health status. BioMed Central Geriatrics, 4(6). doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-4-6.
4. Bean, J.F., Kiely, D.K., Leveille, S.G., Herman, S., Huynh, C., Fielding, R. & Frontera, W. (2002). The 6-minute walk test in mobility-limited elders: What is being measured? Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 57A(11), M751-M756.
5. Berg, K.,Wood-Dauphinee, S.,Williams, J.I. & Gayton, D. (1989) Measuring balance in the elderly: Preliminary development of an instrument. Physiotherapy Canada, 41(6), 304-311.
6. Berg, K.O., Maki, B.E., Williams, J.I., Holliday, P.J. & Wood-Dauphinee, S.L. (1992a). Clinical and laboratory measures of postural balance in an elderly population. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 73, 1073-1080.
7. Berg, K.O., Wood-Dauphinee, S.L., Williams, J.I. & Maki, B. (1992b). Measuring balance in the elderly: Validation of an instrument. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 83(Suppl. 2), S7-S11.
8. Bischoff, H.A., Stähelin, H.B., Monsch, A.U., Iversen, M.D.,Weyh, A., vonDechend, M., et al. (2003). Identifying a cut-off point for normal mobility: A comparison of the timed "up and go" test in community-dwelling and institutionalized elderly women. Age Ageing, 32, 315-320.
9. Bohannon, R.W. (1997). Gait performance with wheeled and standard walkers. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85, 1185-1186.
10. Bourret, E., Bernick, L., Cott, C. & Kontos, P. (2002). The meaning of mobility for residents and staff in long-term care facilities. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 37, 338-345. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02104.
11. Brandt, A., Iwarsson, S. & Stahl, A. (2003). Satisfaction with rollators among community-living users: A follow-up study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 25(7), 343-353. doi: 10.1080/096382802100005895
12. Brooks, D., Solway, S.,Weinacht, K.,Wang, D. & Thomas, S. (2003). Comparison between an indoor and an outdoor 6-minute walk test among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 84, 873-876. doi: 10.1016/S0003-9993(03)00011-X (Pubitemid 36682336)
13. Chen, T.-Y., Mann, W.C., Tomita, M. & Nochajski, S. (2000). Caregiver involvement in the use of assistive devices by frail older persons. The Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 20(3), 179-199.
14. Cigolle, C.T., Langa, K.M., Kabeto, M.U., Tian, Z. & Blaum, C.S. (2007). Geriatric conditions and disability: The health and retirement study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 147, 156-164.
15. Creswell, J.W. (2003). Mixed methods procedures. In: Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (2nd ed.), pp. 220-227. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
16. Creswell, J.W. & Plano Clark, V.L. (2007). Designing and ConductingMixed Methods Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
17. Cushman, L.A. & Scherer, M.J. (1996). Measuring the relationship of assistive technology use, functional status over time, and consumer-therapist perceptions of ATs. Assistive Technology, 8, 103-109.
18. Day, H. & Jutai, J. (1996). Measuring the psychosocial impact of assistive devices: The PIADS. Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation, 9, 159-168.
19. Demers, L., Ska, B., Giroux, F. & Weiss-Lambrou, R. (1999). Stability and reproducibility of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology (QUEST). Journal of Rehabilitation Outcomes Measurement, 3, 42-52.
20. Desrosiers, J., Noreau, L., Robichaud, L., Fougeyrollas, P., Rochette, A. & Viscogliosi, C. (2004). Validity of the assessment of life habits in older adults. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 36, 177-182. doi: 10.1080/16501970410027485 (Pubitemid 39172850)
21. Enright, P.L., McBurnie, A., Bittner, V., Tracy, R.P., McNamara, R., Arnold, A. & Newman, A.B. (2003). The 6-min walk test: A quick measure of functional status in elderly adults. Chest, 123, 387-398. doi: 10.1378/chest.123.2.387 (Pubitemid 36269420)
22. Forbes, W.F., Hayward, L.M. & Agwani, N. (1993). Factors associated with selfreported use and non-use of assistive devices among impaired elderly residing in the community. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 84(1), 53-57.
23. Fougeyrollas, P., & Noreau, L. (in collaboration with Boschen, K., St-Michel, G., Lepage, C. & Tremblay, J.) (2002). Assessment of Life Habits-General Short Form (June 2003 ed.). Lac-Saint-Charles, QC: The International Network on the Disability Creation Process.
24. Fried, L.P. & Guralnik, J.M. (2002). Disability in older adults: Evidence regarding significance, etiology, and risk. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 92-100.
25. Fried, L.P., Bandeen-Roche, K., Chaves, P.H.M. & Johnson, B.A. (2002). Preclinical mobility disability predicts incident mobility disability in older women. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 55A(1), M43-M52.
26. Gitlin, L.N., Luborsky, M.R. & Schemm, R.L. (1998). Emerging concerns of older stroke patients about assistive device use. The Gerontologist, 38(2), 169-180.
27. Gitlin, L.N., Mann, W., Tomit, M. & Marcus, S.M. (2001). Factors associated with home environmental problems among community-living older people. Disability and Rehabilitation, 23(17), 777-787. doi: 10.1080/09638280110062167 (Pubitemid 33115103)
28. Gitlin, L.N., Schemm, R.L., Lansberg, L. & Burgh, D. (1996). Factors predicting assistive device use in the home by older people following rehabilitation. Journal of Aging and Health, 8(4), 554-575. doi: 10.1177/089826439600800405 (Pubitemid 26362279)
29. Graafmans, W.C., Lips, P., Wijlhuizen, G.J., Pluijm, S.M. & Bouter, L.M. (2003). Daily physical activity and the use of a walking aid in relation to falls in elderly people in a residential care setting. Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie, 36, 23-28. doi: 10.1007/S00391-003-0143.8
30. Guralnik, J.M., Ferrucci, L., Simonsick, E.M., Salive, M.E. & Wallace, R.B. (1995). Lower-extremity function in persons over the age of 70 years as a predictor of subsequent disability. The New England Journal of Medicine, 332, 556-561. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199503023320902
31. Harada, N.D., Chiu, V. & Stewart, A.L. (1999). Mobility-related function in older adults: assessment with a 6-minute walk test. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 80, 837-841. doi: 0.1016/S0003-9993(99) 90236-90238
32. Hetzel, L.&Smith, A. The 65 years and over population: 2000. This Census Brief was issued October 2001 Brief. http://www.2010census.biz/prod/ 2001pubs/c2kbr01-10.pdf. Accessed on May 20, 2008.
33. Hirvensalo, M., Rantanen, T. & Heikkinen, E. (2000).Mobility difficulties and physical activity as predictors of mortality and loss of independence in the communityliving older population. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48, 493-498.
34. Hocking, C. (1999). Function or feelings: Factors in abandonment of assistive devices. Technology and Disability, 11, 3-11.
35. Hoenig, J., Taylor, D.H., Jr., & Sloan, F.A. (2003). Does assistive technology substitute for personal assistance among the disabled elderly? American Journal of Public Health, 93(2), 330-337.
36. Honeyman, P., Barr, P. & Stubbing, D. (1996). Effect of a walking aid on disability, oxygenation, and breathlessness in patients with chronic airflow limitation. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 16, 63-67. doi: 10.1097/00008483-199601000-00008 (Pubitemid 26065747)
37. Jette, A.M., Assman, S.F., Rooks, D., Harris, B.A. & Crawford, S. (1998). Interrelationships among disablement concepts. The Journals of Gerontology, 53A(5), M395-M404.
38. Jonsson, L. (2003). The importance of the 4-wheeled walker for elderly women living in their home environment - a three-year study. Vallingby, SE, The Swedish Handicap Institute. Available at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/? nurse-bot/web/coursespring03/ Swedish report on Walker.pdf via the INTERNET. Accessed on January 18, 2005.
39. Keele, U. (2001, February). Sociological explanations between micro and macro and the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods [43 paragraphs]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research [on-line Journal], 2(1). Available at http://qualitative-research.net/ fqs/fqs-eng.htm. Accessed on May 15, 2008.
40. King, M.B., Judge, J.O., Whipple, R.&Wolfson, L. (2000). Reliability and responsiveness of two physical performance measures examined in the context of a functional training intervention. Physical Therapy, 80, 8-16.
41. Krakowsky, L.H. & Finlayson, M. (2001). Factors affecting older adults use of adaptive equipment: Review of the literature. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55, 303-310.
42. Lajoie, Y. & Gallagher, S.P. (2004). Predicting falls within the elderly community: Comparison of postural sway, reaction time, the Berg balance scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale for comparing fallers and nonfallers. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 38, 11-26. doi: 10.1016/S0167-4943(03)00082-7 (Pubitemid 37346378)
43. Lenker, J.A. & Jutai, J.W. (2002). Assistive technology outcomes research and clinical practice: What role for ICF? 8th North American Collaborating Center Conference on ICF, Toronto, June 2-4.
44. Lincoln, Y.S. & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
45. Lord, S.R. & Menz, H.B. (2002). Physiologic, psychologic and health predictors of 6-min walk performance in older people. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 83, 907-911
46. Lund, M. L. & Nygard, L. (2003). Incorporating or resisting assistive devices: Different approaches to achieving a desired occupational self-image. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 23(2), 67-75.
47. Lupton, D. & Seymour, W. (2000). Technology, selfhood and physical disability. Social Science & Medicine, 50, 1851-1862. doi: 10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00422-0 (Pubitemid 30155511)
48. Lusardi, M.M., Pellecchia, G.L. & Schulman M. (2003). Functional performance in community living older adults. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 26, 14-22.
49. Mann,W.C., Hurren, D. & Tomita, M. (1993). Comparison of assistive device use and needs of home-based older persons with different impairments. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47(1), 980-987.
50. Mann, W.C., Llanes, C., Justiss, M.D. & Tomita, M. (2004). Frail older adults selfreport of their most important assistive device. OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health, 24(1), 4-12.
51. Mann, W.C., Ottenbacher, K.J., Fraas, L., Tomita, M. & Granger, C.V. (1999). Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elderly. Archives of Family Medicine, 8, 210-217. doi: 10.1001/archfami8.3.210
52. McMillen, A.-M. & Soderberg, S. (2002). Disabled persons experience of dependence on assistive devices. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 9, 176-183. doi: 10.1080/11038120260501208 (Pubitemid 36104745)
53. Medley, A. & Thompson, M. (1997). The effect of assistive devices on the performance of community dwelling elderly on the Timed Up and Go Test. Issues on Aging, 20, 3-8.
54. Mendes de Leon, C.F., Seeman, T.E., Baker, D.I., Richardson, E.D. & Tinetti, M.E. (1996). Self-efficacy, physical decline, and change in functioning in communityliving elders:Aprospective study. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 51B(4), S183-S190.
55. Myers, A.M., Fletcher, P.C., Myers, A.H. & Sherk, W. (1998). Discriminative and evaluative properties of the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 53A(4), M287-M294.
56. Myers, A.M., Powell, L.E., Maki, B.E., Holliday, P.J., Brawley, L.R. & Sherk, W. (1996). Psychological indicators of balance confidence: Relationship to actual and perceived abilities. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 51A(1), M37-M43.
57. Newton R.A. (1997). Balance screening of an inner city older adult population. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 78, 587-591.
58. Noreau, L., Desrosiers, J., Robichaud, L., Fougeyrollas, P., Rochette, A.&Viscogliosi, C. (2004). Measuring social participation: Reliability of the LIFE-H in older adults with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 26(6), 346-352. doi: 10.1080/09638280410001658649 (Pubitemid 38461185)
59. Okumiya, K., Matsubayashi, K., Nakamura, T., et al. (1998). The timed "up & go" test is a useful predictor of falls in community-dwelling older people. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 47, 928-929.
60. Ostrom, J., Hammarlund, E., Christensen, D., Plein, J. & Kethey, A. (1985). Medication usage in an elderly population. Medical Care, 23, 157-164. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198502000-00006 (Pubitemid 15140467)
61. Pape, T.L.-B., Kim, J. & Weiner, B. (2002). The shaping of individual meanings assigned to assistive technology: A review of personal factors. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24(1-3), 5-20. doi: 10.1080/09638280110066235 (Pubitemid 34105673)
62. Parker, M.G. & Thorslund, M. (1991). The use of technical aids among community-based elderly. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45(8), 712-718.
63. Phillips, B. & Zhao, H. (1993). Predictors of assistive technology abandonment. Assistive Technology, 5, 36-45.
64. Podsiadlo, D.&Richardson, S. (1991). The timed "up&go": A test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 39, 142-148.
65. Powell, L.E. & Myers, A.M. (1995). The activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 50A, M28-M34.
66. Probst, V.S., Troosters, T., Coosemans, I., Spruit, M.A., de Oliveira Pitta, F., Decramer, M., et al. (2004). Mechanisms of improvement in exercise capacity using a rollator in patients with COPD. Chest, 126, 1102-1107. doi: 10.1078/chest.126.4.1102
67. Rejeski, W.J., Miller, M.E., Foy, C., Messier, S. & Rapp, S. (2001). Self-efficacy and the progression of functional limitations and self-reported disability in older adults with knee pain. The Journals of Gerontology, 56B(5), S261-S265. doi:10.1093/ageing/27.6.703
68. Roomi, J., Yohannes, A.M. & Connolly, M.J. (1998). The effect of walking aids on exercise capacity and oxygenation in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Age and Ageing, 27, 703-706. doi:10.1093/ageing/27.6.703
69. Scherer, M.J. (2002). The change in emphasis from people to person: Introduction to the special issue on assistive technology. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24(1-3), 1-4. doi: 10.1080/09638280110066262 (Pubitemid 34105672)
70. Sciurba, F., Criner, G.J., Lee, S.M., Mohsenifar, Z., Shade, D., Slivka,W., et al. (2003). Six-minute walk distance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Reproducibility and effect of walking course layout and length. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 167, 1522-1527. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200203-1660C
71. Seeman, T.E. & Chen, X. (2002). Risk and protective factors for physical functioning in older adults with and without chronic conditions: MacArthur studies of successful aging. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 57B(3), S135-S144.
72. Shumway-Cook, A., Brauer, S.&Woollacott, M. (2000). Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go Test. Physical Therapy, 80, 896-903.
73. Shumway-Cook, A., Patla, A., Stewart, A., Ferrucci, L., Ciol, M.A. & Guralnik, J.M. (2003). Environmental components of mobility disability in communityliving older persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 51, 393-398. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51114.x (Pubitemid 36348902)
74. Siggeirsdottir, K., Jonsson, B.Y., Jonsson, H., Jr. & Iwarsson, S. (2002). The timed "up & go" is dependent on chair type. Clinical Rehabilitation, 16, 609-616. doi: 10.1191/0269215502cr529oa
75. Solway, S., Brooks, D., Lau, L. & Goldstein, R. (2002). The short-term effect of a rollator on functional exercise capacity among individuals with severe COPD. Chest, 122, 56-65. doi: 10.1078/chest.122.1.56
76. Stark, S. (2004). Removing environmental barriers in the homes of older adults with disabilities improves occupational performance. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, 24(1), 32-39.
77. Steffen, T.M., Hacker, T.A. & Mollinger, L. (2002). Age- and gender related test performance in community-dwelling elderly people: Six-Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up & Go Test, and Gait Speeds. Physical Therapy, 82, 128-137.
78. Thorbahn, L.D. & Newton, R.A. (1996). Use of the Berg Balance Test to predict falls in elderly persons. Physical Therapy, 76, 576-583.
79. Tinetti, M.E. & Speechley, M. (1989). Prevention of falls among the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine, 320, 1055-1059.
80. Verbrugge, L.M., Rennert, C. & Madans, J.H. (1997). The great efficacy of personal and equipment assistance in reducing disability. American Journal of Public Health, 87(3), 384-392.
81. Wesmiller, S.W. & Hoffman, L.A. (1994). Evaluation of an assistive device for ambulation in oxygen dependent patients with COPD. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, 14, 122-126. doi: 10.1097/00008483-199403000- 00007
82. World Health Organization. (2001). International classification of functioning, disability, and health (Introduction). Available at http://www3.who.int/icf/intros/ICFEng- Intro.pdf via the INTERNET. Accessed on October 31, 2005.
83. Wressle, E. & Samuelsson, K. (2004). User satisfaction with mobility assistive devices. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 11, 143-150. doi: 10.1080/11038120410020728 (Pubitemid 39295044)
84. Zimmer, A. & Chappell, N.L. (1994). Mobility restriction and use of devices among seniors. Journal of Aging and Health, 6(2), 185-208. doi: 10.1177/089826439400600204