Gait changes over time in hospitalized older adults with advanced dementia: Predictors of mobility change

People with dementia are at risk of mobility decline. In this study, we measured changes in quantitative gait measures over a maximum 10-week period during the course of a psychogeriatric admission in older adults with dementia, with the aims to describe mobility changes over the duration of the admission, and to determine which factors were associated with this change. Fifty-four individuals admitted to a specialized dementia inpatient unit participated in this study. A vision-based markerless motion capture system was used to record participants' natural gait. Mixed effect models were developed with gait measures as the dependent variables and clinical and demographic variables as predictors. We found that gait stability, step time, and step length decreased, and step time variability and step length variability increased over 10 weeks. Gait stability of men decreased more than that of women, associated with an increased sacrum mediolateral range of motion over time. In addition, the sacrum mediolateral range of motion decreased in those with mild neuropsychiatric symptoms over 10 weeks, but increased in those with more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Our study provides evidence of worsening of gait mechanics and control over the course of a hospitalization in older adults with dementia. Quantitative gait monitoring in hospital environments may provide opportunities to intervene to prevent adverse events, decelerate mobility decline, and monitor rehabilitation outcomes.

Automated summary

The study measured changes in quantitative gait measures over a 10-week psychogeriatric admission period in older adults with dementia, finding that gait stability, step time, and step length decreased while step time and length variability increased. Men showed a greater decrease in gait stability compared to women, and individuals with mild neuropsychiatric symptoms experienced a decrease in sacrum mediolateral range of motion over the 10-week period, whereas those with more severe symptoms saw an increase. This study provides evidence of worsening gait mechanics and control during hospitalization in older adults with dementia, suggesting that quantitative gait monitoring in hospitals could help prevent adverse events and monitor rehabilitation outcomes.