Mobility Device Use and Frailty Progression in Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Mobility Limitations

Objective: Examine the association between mobility device use and changes in a frailty index (FI) over one year in community-dwelling older adults with mobility limitations. Methods: Analyses utilized 2015–2016 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study community-dwelling older adults ( n = 3934). We calculated a validated 40-item deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) in 2015 and 2016 and compared one year change in FI in older adults with/without canes or walkers using multivariable logistic regression. Analyses were repeated with stratification by baseline frailty. Results: Device use was not associated with worsening frailty in the overall cohort, but was associated with worsening frailty in non-frail individuals when stratified by baseline frailty. Discussion: Device use does not worsen frailty in individuals who are frail at baseline. Device users who were not frail at baseline experienced worsening frailty suggesting additional contributing factors to their frailty aside from mobility limitations.