Cognitive status and ambulation in geriatric rehabilitation: Walking without thinking?

Objective: To assess the relation between cognitive and ambulatory abilitie s in geriatric rehabilitation inpatients. Study Design: Survey study of geriatric cohorts. Setting: Inpatient university hospital rehabilitation unit. Patients: One hundred fifty urban geriatric rehabilitation patients with or thopedic, neurologic, or medical diagnoses. Main Outcome Measures: Functional Independence Measure(TM) (FIM), Mattis De mentia Rating Scale, Neurobehavioral sure Cognitive Status Examination. Results: Both cognitive measures predicted admission and discharge total FI M scores, continence status, and activities of daily living (ADL) scores. N either measure could predict admission or discharge FIM ambulation scores b etter than demographic variables. Conclusion: While cognitive status affects the overall rehabilitation cours e and ultimate functional status of the geriatric patient, it does not pred ict walking or stair climbing ability.