title: The de morton mobility index: normative data for a clinically useful mobility instrument.
abstract: Determining mobility status is an important component of any health assessment for older adults. In order for a mobility measure to be relevant and meaningful, normative data are required for comparison to a healthy reference population. The DEMMI is the first mobility instrument to measure mobility across the spectrum from bed bound to functional levels of independent mobility. In this cross-sectional observational study, normative data were obtained for the DEMMI from a population of 183 healthy, community-dwelling adults age 60+ who resided in Vancouver, Canada and Melbourne, Australia. Older age categories had significantly lower DEMMI mobility mean scores (P < 0.05), as did individuals who walked with a mobility aid or lived in semi-independent living (assisted living or retirement village), whereas DEMMI scores did not differ by sex (P = 0.49) or reported falls history (P = 0.21). Normative data for the DEMMI mobility instrument provides vital reference scores to facilitate its use across the mobility spectrum in clinical, research, and policymaking settings.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 1M9.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Macri
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ashe
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: de Morton