Physical function and sense of autonomy are independent determinants of life-space mobility in older people. This was found in a study conducted at the Gerontology Research Center of the University of Jyv-skyl-. In this project, 848 older men and women that lived independently in the Jyv-skyl- region in Central Finland were interviewed at their own home.
Life-space mobility reflects a person's mobility with or without the use of a vehicle. Life-space mobility reflects an individual's opportunities to participate in the society. An individual's life-space may be restricted to one room, while going outdoors, into the town or beyond increases one's life-space and thus affects a person's quality of life.
Sense of autonomy is the perception of control over one's life. Physical limitations may restrict a person's possibilities to participate in activities outside of their own home when and how they want to. Other factors such as being a care giver or availability of transportation may also influence sense of autonomy, Postdoctoral Researcher Erja Portegijs explains.
Both physical function and sense of autonomy affect a person's behavior. This means that we may need to pay attention to psychosocial factors, in addition to physical function, when evaluating a person's mobility or life-space for example in the clinical setting, Portegijs states.
The results were published online in an international scientific Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on March 21, 2014.
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