Staying Active

Research Shows Mobility a Factor in Longevity

Listen to Dr. Allman's discussion:

The terms “shut-in” and “homebound” have long been used to describe someone whose health prevents them from traveling. And such isolation is often considered an unavoidable consequence of aging.

But research at the UAB Center for Aging shows that a decrease in travel can be a signal of physical problems that need addressing—and that an older adult’s travel habits are an excellent indicator of his or her potential life span.

“We’ve defined a measure of mobility we call Life-Space,” says Dr. Richard Allman, director of the Center. “As we monitor this change in mobility over time, we’ve found that if you see a friend or loved one reducing the frequency of their going out, or starting to use a cane or a walker, it’s a sign of some problem that might be treated, and which merits a more careful evaluation by their primary care doctor.

“The Life-Space score ranges from zero to 120, and we’re finding that people whose score declines by six or seven points are more likely to die within the next three years, whereas those who decline by only one or two points are more likely to survive.”

Although getting out less is frequently dismissed as a natural age-related change, Allman says, it could also be a sign of an underlying heart or lung problem—or other condition—that might be caught early and could potentially prevent nursing home placement or mortality.

Such changes in Life-Space scores can be prompted by other events than simple aging, he adds. One common cause is a serious illness or hospitalization.

“Whenever you see a change in where your loved ones are able to go or whether they need help getting there,” Allman says, “don’t just say, ‘Well, what do you expect? They’re 85…’ or 75, or whatever. What they need is a comprehensive medical evaluation to find out the reason for the change, because we may be able to intervene and prevent the decline from happening.”

A downloadable audio file of Dr. Allman's article is also available.