Title: Gait and cognition interlink with fall risk in older population: Mind-body connections for fall risk prevention
Abstract:
Recent evidence from epidemiological and clinical studies shows that gait and cognition are inter-related in older adults. Alteration in gait speed and balance is closely linked with cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, executive function, which is associated with falls, dementia, and disability in older adults. Cognitive disturbances facilitate to predict risk for falls, and progression of dementia. Exploring the link between gait and cognitive functions is essential to develop preventive strategies for early diagnosis, intervention and rehabilitation in the ageing population. A cross sectional correlation study among adults (N=270), aged 40-90 years, examined functional health through functional assessment parameters such as Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 6MWT and cognition by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) used for the assessment of the cognitive capabilities to verify interconnections of gait, cognition and fall risk. Findings showed a positive association between the Gait and Cognition .TUG showed positive association with MoCA, Pearson chi2 value of 85.8248 and p value of 0.000(p < 0.001) and 6MWT also showed positive association with MoCA, Pearson chi2 value of 128.911 and p value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). Gait and cognitive functions are interrelated and declined physical cognitive functions increase fall risk injury and related disability in older adults. Establishing relationship between early gait and cognitive changes may assist in estimating increased fall risk and progression of dementia, thus to develop evidence based strategies such as dual task interventions in older adults.
Keywords: Gait Variability, Balance, Mild Cognitive impairment, Ageing, and Dual task interventions.
Audience Take Away Notes:
> Growing challenges of Global Ageing and Fall risk and associated interconnections with cognitive functions Nursing-2024 will help the audience to learn and provoked thought processes on solutions for Healthy Ageing
> World population is steeply rising. The societies require understanding and accepting the demographic transitions and adopt the life style and psycho-social resources for promoting cognition and physical health
> Identifying Mind-Body interlink in fall risk enable to develop strategies for Fall risk prevention in Ageing population
