Gait velocity and other aspects of mobility

 Decreased gait speed has been related to falls and fear of falling [42-44]. Hausdorff

et al. reported a relationship between falls and factors such as gait speed and functional

status [45]. Maki demonstrated a relationship between decreased gait speed and increased

falls and fear of falling in the community dwelling elderly population [42].

Falls

 A fall has been defined as "an event which results in a person coming to rest

unintentionally on the ground or other lower level, not as a result of a major intrinsic

event (such as stroke) or overwhelming hazard" [46, 47] or as "falling all the way down

to the floor or ground, or falling and hitting an object like a chair or stair" [48]. Falls are

significant mobility issues addressed in the literature for the community dwelling elderly.

Incidence and consequences of falls in the community dwelling elderly

 Falls are the leading cause of injurious death for those over 65 in the United States

[49]. At least 30% of those over 65 and residing in the community fall annually; 10-20%

fall two or more times [50]. After age 80, annual fall rates increase to 50% [46, 51]. The

elderly who fall are likely to sustain more fall related trauma and serious injury and

demonstrated increased health care utilization compared to young fallers [52]. Fall related

trauma is more likely to be the cause of death in older fallers [53]

 In 2001, more than 1.6 million emergency room visits and 15,000 deaths were

attributable to falls [54]. Severe consequences related to falls include hip fractures and

head trauma, increased health care utilization, declines in ADLs and IADLs, decreased

socialization, increased admissions to long-term care facilities, premature disability, and

death [53, 55]. Additionally, King and Tinetti determined that morbidity, physical injury,