Low hospital mobility-resurgence of an old epidemic within a new pandemic and future solutions.
Age Ageing
; 50(5): 1439-1441, 2021 09 11.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1254413
ABSTRACT
Low mobility during hospitalisation poses risks of functional decline and other poor outcomes for older adults. Given the pervasiveness of this problem, low mobility during hospitalisation was first described as 'dangerous' in 1947 and later described as an epidemic. Hospitals have made considerable progress over the last half-century and the last two decades in particular, however, the COVID-19 pandemic presents serious new challenges that threaten to undermine recent efforts and progress towards a culture of mobility. In this special article, we address the question of how to confront an epidemic of immobility within a pandemic. We identify four specific problems for creating and advancing a culture of mobility posed by COVID-19 social distancing and policies restricting patient movement, personnel constraints, personal protective equipment shortages and increased patient hesitancy to ambulate. We also propose four specific solutions to address these problems. These approaches will help support a culture of healthy mobility during and after hospitalisation and help patients to keep moving during the pandemic and beyond.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Age Ageing
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ageing
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