GERIATRIC SYNDROMES: IMMOBILITY

The immobility can be defined as “the decreased ability to perform activities of daily living impairment of motor functions”.

Almost everyone, sometime in our life have had an injury, either an arm, a leg or whatever, which has incapacitated to perform activities of daily living. In the aging.

A multitude of factors that influence the elderly's state of mobility are within nursing's realm of practice.

Although elderly patients may present a special challenge, the negative consequences of immobility can be avoided, to a significant extent, with astute and vigilant nursing management.

To assess the development of activities of daily living as we Barthel scales and instrumental activities as the scale of Lawton.

Exercise is considered as the main factor preventing immobility, considered the best prevention.

Perform a series of environmental adaptations that favor and encourage commuting maintaining autonomy, is considered one secondary prevention.

As thirth prevention is the management of specific complications, among which the most common are pressure ulcers, which can be prevented if detected the risk of them using instruments such as the Norton scale.

·         Mobilization capacity is an indicator level health in the aging and their quality of life.

·        Predisposes aging physiological changes cause some limitation in mobility.

·         There are multiple risk factors and intercurrent diseases that accelerate functional decline.

·         The immobility associated complications such as pressure ulcers.

·         The immobilized patient assessment should include a thorough medical history and complete systemic examination and definition of the degree of functional impairment where nursing have a very important roll.

·         The best treatment is prevention early once appears immobility always try retraining program.

Here some links of how to mobilize patients, these videos are made by Aragon´s Goverment, I hope it results you useful:

From wheelchair to another seat

From bed to wheelchair

REFERENCES

Sociedad Española de Geriatría y Gerontología. Tratado de Geriatría para residentes. Madrid ISBN: 84-689-8949-5. Capítulo 20, Inmovilidad.

http:/www.igerontologico.com/salud/Temas/inmovilidad.htm