No walk in the park for older women
An American study has revealed women are more likely than men to suffer mobility issues in later life. Factors such as chronic conditions, low physical activity, slower motor coordination and hospitalisation reportedly contribute to the likelihood of women becoming disabled as they grow older.
An American study has revealed women are more likely than men to suffer mobility issues in later life.
Factors such as chronic conditions, low physical activity, slower motor coordination and hospitalisation reportedly contribute to the likelihood of women becoming disabled as they grow older.
Twelve years of data showed Yale School of Medicine researchers that with age, many people – particularly women – had difficulty in walking short distance or driving cars, while those with long-term loss of mobility had difficulty regaining independence.
Professor of medicine at the centre, Thomas Gill, said: “Losing the ability to walk [in old age] leads to a poorer overall quality of life”.
Following a group of 641 people aged 70 years and older, Professor Gill’s work showed those participants who claimed they required help from another person to walk were considered to be ‘walking disabled”, while those who had not driven a car in more than a month were considered ‘driving disabled’.
The research team also assessed the participants’ exposure to potential causes of disability on a monthly basis, including illnesses or injuries leading to hospitalisation and restricted activity which increased the likelihood of long-term disability by six-fold.
