Citation

Tiihonen M, Hartikainen S, Nykänen I. Scand. J. Public Health 2018; 46(7): 699-703.

Affiliation

Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Finland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Associations of Public Health in the Nordic Countries Regions, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1403494817718072

PMID

28699419

Abstract

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of older home-care clients to perform the five times chair rise test and associated personal characteristics, nutritional status and functioning.

METHODS: The study sample included 267 home-care clients aged ≥75 years living in Eastern and Central Finland. The home-care clients were interviewed at home by home-care nurses, nutritionists and pharmacists. The collected data contained sociodemographic factors, functional ability (Barthel Index, IADL), cognitive functioning (MMSE), nutritional status (MNA), depressive symptoms (GDS-15), medical diagnoses and drug use. The primary outcome was the ability to perform the five times chair rise test.

RESULTS: Fifty-one per cent ( n=135) of the home-care clients were unable to complete the five times chair rise test. Twenty-three per cent ( n=64) of the home-care clients had good chair rise capacity (≤17 seconds). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, fewer years of education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.18), lower ADL (OR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.34-1.78) and low MNA scores (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.20) and a higher number of co-morbidities (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.43) were associated with inability to complete the five times chair rise test.

CONCLUSIONS: Poor functional mobility, which was associated with less education, a high number of co-morbidities and poor nutritional status, was common among older home-care clients. To maintain and to prevent further decline in functional mobility, physical training and nutritional services are needed. (NutOrMed, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02214758).

Language: en

Keywords

Older people; chair rise capacity; home-care clients; physical functioning