Commonly measured constructs of mobility included walking , climbing stairs , and lower extremity function .
There was heterogeneity in ways of defining and measuring mobility limitation in older adults living in the community .
Mobility is critical in maintaining independence in older adults .
This study aims to systematic ally review the scientific literature to identify measures of mobility limitation for community-dwelling older adults .
Persistent mobility deficit in the absence of deficits in activities of daily living: a risk factor for mortality.
OBJECTIVES To investigate the extent to which self-reported mobility deficit in the absence of impairment in activities of daily living ( ADL ) is associated with elevated mortality risk . DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort study , with annual assessment s of mobility and ADL status and ongoing monitoring of vital status . SETTING Population -based cohort drawn from Medicare enrollees in New York City . PARTICIPANTS One thous and two hundred ninety-eight older adults reporting functional status at baseline ( 1992 - 1994 ) and 2 years later . MEASUREMENTS Subjects reported  mobility ( e.g. ,  walking , climbing stairs , and rising from a chair )  and  ADL ( e.g. ,  bathing , toilet use , dressing , grooming , and feeding )  limitations . Two-year functional status trajectories were noted . We used two additional follow-up periods , at 2 and 4 years , to examine the likelihood that older people with mobility deficit may face an increased risk of death without first passing through a state of enduring ADL disability . RESULTS At 2 years , 12.7 % had incident mobility deficit without ADL disability , and 21.3 % were persistently disabled in mobility without ADL disability . Relative to subjects free of disability at baseline and follow-up , risk of mortality in the incident mobility deficit group was elevated at 2 and 4 years but did not achieve statistical significance . By contrast , for subjects with persistent mobility impairment who did not report ADL impairment , the mortality risk was significantly elevated both at 2 years ( relative risk ( RR ) = 2.5 ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) = 1.1 - 5.7 ) ) and 4 years ( RR = 2.9 ; 95 % CI = 1.7 - 4.9 ) ) of follow-up . Mortality was significantly elevated in this group in analyses restricted to respondents with no or only one comorbid condition . CONCLUSION Continuing , self-reported mobility impairment in the absence of ADL deficit is a risk factor for mortality . Older people with self-reported mobility deficit face an increased risk of mortality without first passing through enduring states of ADL disability
Commonly measured constructs of mobility included walking , climbing stairs , and lower extremity function .
There was heterogeneity in ways of defining and measuring mobility limitation in older adults living in the community .
Mobility is critical in maintaining independence in older adults .
This study aims to systematic ally review the scientific literature to identify measures of mobility limitation for community-dwelling older adults .