INTRODUCTION: Falls are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in old age, with consequences ranging from minor injuries to death. The measure of functional mobility can be used to predict the risk of falls and to measure the result of interventions that seek to reduce it. OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare a functional mobility measure in elderly people living in the community and in a long stay institution (LSI), and determine its relation to age and sex in the different places of residence. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This observational, analytical and cross-sectional study used data from two other observational studies carried out in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. A total of 413 elderly people took part in this study; out of those 72 were institutionalized (average age = 80.9 ± 8.1years) and 341 lived in the community (69.8 ± 7.5 years). The Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) was used to evaluate the degree of functional mobility. RESULTS: No statistical difference was found in the TUG mean values presented by the genders, both in the community (p>0.05) and in the LSI (p>0.05). Institutionalized men and women showed significantly higher TUG mean than those living in the community (p<0.01). A significant difference was detected between the TUG means, when compared in terms of age group (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Functional mobility decreases with age in men and women, but does not differ between the sexes. Elderly people living in the community were faster than the institutionalized ones and therefore had a lower risk of falls. It is clear that there is a need for interventions that help both groups improve their mobility and reduce the risk of falls.
Homes for the Aged; Health of Institutionalized Elderly; Aged; Aging
