Ocena równowagi i chodu u starszych osób pensjonariuszy domu opieki spo ecznej

Disorders of balance and gait are one of the most disturbing symptoms of ageing. They lead to repeated falls, that are the main reason for injuries in the elderly. They result in suffering, disability, loss of self-dependence and social isolation of the affected individuals. The aim of the study was to evaluate the balance and locomotor abilities in the elderly people living in a nursing home. The study was performed on 58 individuals (30 women and 28 men) aged 65-93 (mean age 77.1 ± 7.7) living in a nursing home in Jelenia Góra. Balance and gait were evaluated by means of the Tinetti test. The result of the test, called Tinetti mobility index, can help evaluate the risk of falls. The results suggest significant deficits in maintaining balance and quality of gait in the examined. The results in women were worse than in men, yet he differences were not statistically significant. Only in four people (13%) the Tinetti index showed the risk of falling. The risk of falling was observed in 15 patients (50%) and in eleven of them the probability of falls was 5 times higher than in the rest. Age significantly influenced body balance and the risk of falls. In the examined group the deficits of body balance and the increased risk of falling related to them were observed in 87% of the elderly. Physiotherapy plays an important role in prophylaxis of falls and it should be introduced in nursing homes for the elderly.