Does the purchase of a mobility scooter alter physical activity levels in older adults?

Abstract

Purpose: This cohort study investigated changes in physical activity, community mobility and social participation following the first-time purchase of a mobility scooter.

Methods: A national sample of persons aged 65+ years was surveyed using customized semi-structured interviews that explored changes in physical activity via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire modified for the elderly, and community involvement. Participants were recruited at the point of purchase of their first mobility scooter, and interviewed at this time and again at 2 and 6 months post-purchase.

Results: Eighteen participants (F = 10, M = 8) aged between 65 and 95 years were recruited. Physical activity levels remained unchanged in 12 participants, and declined by at least one category in five participants. All participants reported improvement to their self-perceived quality of life following acquisition of a mobility scooter. Participants did not access additional forms of physical activity, though nine reported increased social participation. At baseline, five participants stated that the scooter was used for journeys they formerly made by other motorized transport, and by the 6-month interview, this number had risen to 15 participants.

Conclusions: It is unlikely that changes in physical activity were related to the ageing process given the relatively short time span of the study. Thus it can be inferred that participants viewed their mobility scooter as a vehicle for maintaining their lifestyle rather than as a means to seek out additional activities. Improvements to perceived quality of life may be attributed to continuing or furthering community and social engagement, and a sense of retained independence.

Implications for rehabilitation

• An awareness of possible changes in physical activity associated with the purchase of a mobility scooter is needed.

• The purchase of a mobility scooter provides a viable means of transport to facilitate access to physical activity situations.

• Over-reliance on a mobility scooter has the potential to decrease health-related physical activity.

• The development and dissemination of a targeted health message about maintaining (or improving) physical activity levels is warranted to increase the awareness in this growing group of new, and current, mobility scooter riders in an increasingly ageing population.

Keywords:

• Mobility scooters
• physical activity
• community engagement
• older persons
• mobility
• ageing
• quality of life

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all vendors and participants for their contributions to this study, and especially to Mr. Tony McCarthy from Otago Mobility Scooters, Dunedin.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the New Zealand Lottery Health Research [ref: R-LHR-2016–26562].