Elderly Mobility Scale: What Is It and How Is It Used?

We all tend to start struggling with our mobility as we age.

Strength and flexibility training can help, but can’t stop the aging process forever. Additionally, we all want to stay in our homes and live independently as long as possible, and mobility is a huge factor in knowing whether or not living independently is safe. So, how do we know when our mobility is affecting our daily life? The elderly mobility scale was designed to help answer that very question. 

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What is the Elderly Mobility Scale?

The Elderly Mobility Scale, or EMS, is a diagnostic tool used to assess the mobility of elderly adults. It provides a mobility score that helps determine fall risk, assess whether mobility aides are working, and ultimately helps determine a senior’s ability to complete daily tasks. It has been used by doctors and clinicians for decades to make an objective determination about a senior’s ability to move about safely. 

How Does the Elderly Mobility Test Work?

An elderly mobility test is often completed in a hospital or physical therapy setting, but it is simple enough that you can do it at home. To complete the test at home, you will need a yardstick, stopwatch, chair, bed or couch, wall, space for a 20-foot walk, and the elderly mobility scale score sheet. If you use any mobility aides like a cane or walker, those will be needed as well.

The test will require you to perform 7 different tasks: going from lying to sitting and sitting to lying, moving from sitting to standing, standing, walking, walking while being timed, and performing a functional reach. After performing each movement, you will be given a score from 0 to 3. For example, ability to stand may be scored like this:

3 – stands without support and can reach within arm’s length while maintaining balance

2 – stands without support but needs assistance to reach

1 – stands but requires support

0 – stands but only with physical support of one person

After performing and scoring all tasks, the scores are added up for a total possible score of 20.

What is the Meaning of the Mobility Score?

Generally, the total for the mobility scoring breaks down like this:

14 to 20 – maneuvers alone and safely, can perform essential daily living tasks alone, can live at home independently

10 to 13 – borderline safe, and will likely require some support for some maneuvers

Below 10 – requires assistance with essential daily living tasks like getting out of bed, toileting, dressing, etc.

Adults who score below ten often need some sort of assistance with care. 

It is important to remember that while the mobility scale is a useful tool, it doesn’t all tell the whole story. It does take into consideration mobility aides, but it does not measure confidence or cognitive function. It should be considered as part of the decision making process when determining whether you or a loved one can live independently, but should not be the only factor. An open, honest conversation with loved ones is always crucial when any decisions about care or leaving the home are made. 

To learn about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today at 1-800-GRISWOLD or find a Caregiver near you.