Mobility Restriction and the Use of Devices among Seniors

A growing population of seniors in North America, coupled with increasing life expectancies, means there will likely be increased future demand for products to alleviate mobility problems commonly faced by elders. Although past research has documented the prevalence of mobility restriction among elderly populations, and the tendency of some to seek personal assistance to alleviate their difficulties, there is little research that looks at the use of assistive devices. This study examines use among those faced with at least one of four common mobility problems. Logistic regression and analysis of variance reveal the overwhelming importance of the sheer number of mobility restrictions in determining the likelihood that an individual is a device user, over and above factors such as the severity of problems, social network characteristics, and predisposition factors.