Validation of an Accelerometer for Measurement of Activity in Frail Older People

Physical activity is essential for independence and wellbeing in older people in all settings and at all levels of functional capacity [1 –3]. Activity is even more important for frail older people as their absolute risk of functional decline from inactivity is highest [4,5]. Furthermore, sedentary time has been linked to health outcomes [6]. Self-report assessment of activity, the commonest assessment measure, can be limited by cog nitive problems and recall bias when used in older people [7]. Therefore, objective measures of activity are needed to assess the amount and type of activity for the purposes of: self-management; estimation of risk of falls [8], functional decline [9]; assessment of the impact of activity programmes [10,11] and for guidance in rehabilitation and maintenance of function.
Source: Gait and Posture - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Tags: Full length article Source Type: research