The potential consequences of driving limitations or cessation should be taken into account when advising older drivers and developing alternative transportation strategies to help maintain their mobility.

Driving cessation was associated with an increase in depressive symptoms even when accounting for sociodemographic and health-related factors. These consequences need to be taken into account when advising older drivers and when developing alternative transportation strategies.

Several readily identifiable factors appeared to distinguish the subgroup of older fallers at risk for suffering a serious fall injury. These factors should help guide who and what to target in prevention efforts.

Optimal mobility, defined as relative ease and freedom of movement in all of its forms, is central to healthy aging. Mobility is a significant consideration for research, practice, and policy in aging and public health. We examined the public health burdens of mobility disability, with a particular focus on leading public health interventions to enhance walking and driving, and the challenges and opportunities for public health action. We propose an integrated mobility agenda, which draws on the lived experience of older adults. New strategies for research, practice, and policy are needed to move beyond categorical promotion programs in walking and driving to establish a comprehensive program to enhance safe mobility in all its forms.

In this urban population, several simple clinical measures correlated with the risk for adverse driving events.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the sociodemographic and health characteristics and problems of older pedestrians. METHODS: Interviews and assessments were conducted with 1249 enrollees aged 72 or older from the New Haven, Conn, community of the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly who agreed to participate in a seventh follow-up. RESULTS: Approximately 11% of the New Haven residents reported difficulty crossing the street. Older pedestrians needing help in one or more activities of daily living were more than 10 times as likely as others, and those with the slowest walking speeds were nearly 3 times as likely as others, to report difficulty crossing the street. Fewer than 1% of these pedestrians aged 72 or older had a normal walking speed sufficient to cross the street in the time typically allotted at signalized intersections (1.22 m/sec). CONCLUSIONS: Crossing times at signalized intersectíons in areas with large populations of elders should be extended, and the recommended walking speed for timing signalized crossings should be modified to reflect the range of abilities among older pedestrians.

No abstract

OBJECTIVES. Hip fractures can have devastating effects on the lives of older individuals. We determined the frequency of occurrence of hip fracture and the baseline factors predicting death and institutionalization at 6 months after hip fracture. METHODS. A representative cohort of 2812 individuals aged 65 years and older was followed prospectively for 6 years. Hip fractures were identified, and the occurrence of death and institutionalization within 6 months of the fracture was determined. Prefracture information on physical and mental function, social support, and demographic features and in-hospital data on comorbid diagnoses, fracture site, and complications were analyzed to determine predictors of death and institutionalization after hip fracture. RESULTS. Of 120 individuals suffering a hip fracture, 22 (18%) died within 6 months and 35 (29%) were institutionalized at 6 months. The predictors of death in multiple logistic regression included fracture site, a high number of comorbid conditions, a high number of complications, and poor baseline mental status. The primary predictor of institutionalization was poor baseline mental status. CONCLUSIONS. The frequency of death, institutionalization, and loss of function after hip fracture should prompt a reevaluation of the current approach to this problem.