Relationship of functional balance and cognitive impairment in elderly.

Abstract

Introduction: Population aging brings physical changes of its own age. Along with these changes occur in most cases, the
comorbidities that maximize the geriatric syndromes. Balance disorders are the class of the most important factors when
it comes to instability and falls in the elderly. Thus, the knowledge of what generates or which is associated with balance
deficits and therefore predispose the elderly to fall is critical to reduce the frequency of them, but also to the severity
of its sequelae. Objective: To analyze the relationship between cognitive performance and functional balance in elderly
institutionalized and community. Method: The sample consisted of 36 participants and 19 older adults and 17 elderly
subjects, recruited voluntarily and for convenience. The evaluation presented by sociodemographic form, analyze the risk
of falls (TUG) and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), which was used for screening of cognitive impairment in
the elderly. Results: Through the anthropometric analysis, community elders had a mean age of 73.11 years, weighing
66.90 kg and height of 1.56 m, as the institutionalized group had an average age of 72.06 years, average height and
weight 69.88 kg 1.60 m. Elderly community, physically active, showed lower risk for falls compared to elderly subjects
(p<0.001), in addition to having better cognitive performance (p=0.002). A moderate correlation between the TUG and
the MMSE (r=–0.513) was also found. Conclusion: Both groups were made up of active seniors, both community and
institutionalized, however community elders showed better cognitive status and a lower risk of falls in relation to the
institutionalized elderly, noting that the cognitive status increases the risk of falls.