Mild cognitive impairment and alteration in physical, cognitive, and functional independence of institutionalized older adults in Cali

Authors

  • Sofia Zapata-Gil
  • Yulieth Rivas-Campo
  • Daniel Santiago-Mejía
  • Diego Fernando Afanador-Restrepo Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina - Institución Universitaria Antonio José Camacho https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7958-0751

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v74.117708

Keywords:

Independence, mild cognitive impairment, older adults, physical function, public health

Abstract

Introduction: Colombia is undergoing a demographic transition characterized by an increase in the older adult population, resulting from decreased mortality and increased life expectancy. This change poses health challenges, especially due to the high prevalence and socioeconomic impact of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which affects daily functioning and quality of life.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between MCI and alterations in physical function, cognition, and independence among institutionalized older adults in Cali during 2024.

Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 260 participants, assessing general cognition, selective attention, functional capacity, balance, gait, and instrumental activities of daily living using the MoCA test, D2 test, SFT, Tinetti scale, and Lawton and Brody index.

Results: A significant association was found between MCI and dynamic balance (OR = 3.488; 95% CI: 1.961–6.205), as well as relevant differences in lower limb strength (p = .033), aerobic capacity (p < .001), and balance (p = .031). Previous studies support this relationship, indicating that older adults with MCI have a higher risk of falls. The findings highlight the need to strengthen health promotion and prevention programs.

Conclusions: It is concluded that MCI is associated with alterations in dynamic balance; therefore, it is recommended to expand research to other regions and consider additional associated variables.

References

Bezold, J., Krell-Roesch, J., Eckert, T., Jekauc, D., & Woll, A. (2021). Sensor-based fall risk assessment in older adults with or without cognitive impairment: a systematic review. In European Review of Aging and Physical Activity (Vol. 18, Issue 1). BioMed Central Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-021-00266-w

Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística. (2017). Estadísticas por tema: Demografía y Población.

Elisa Andrea Cobo-Mejía, M. E. O. G. L. Y. (2016). Confiabilidad del Senior Fitness Test versión en español, para población adulta mayor en Tunja-Colombia. Arch Med Deporte, 33(6), 382–386.

Espinoza, Z. E. L., Fajardo-Ramos, E., López-González, Á., Martínez-Villanueva, R. M., & Villanueva-Benites, M. E. (2020). Cognition and functional capacity in the elderly adult. Salud Uninorte, 36(1), 124–139. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.36.1.618.97

Gray, M., Gills, J. L., Glenn, J. M., Vincenzo, J. L., Walter, C. S., Madero, E. N., Hall, A., Fuseya, N., & Bott, N. T. (2021). Cognitive decline negatively impacts physical function. Experimental Gerontology, 143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2020.111164

Guevara, C. R., & Lugo, L. H. (2012). Validez y confiabilidad de la Escala de Tinetti para población colombiana Validity and reliability of Tinetti Scale for Colombian people. In Rev. Colomb. Reumatol (Vol. 19).

Jonasson, L. S., Nyberg, L., Kramer, A. F., Lundquist, A., Riklund, K., & Boraxbekk, C. J. (2017). Aerobic exercise intervention, cognitive performance, and brain structure: Results from the Physical Influences on Brain in Aging (PHIBRA) Study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 8(JAN). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00336

Jongsiriyanyong, S., & Limpawattana, P. (2018). Mild Cognitive Impairment in Clinical Practice: A Review Article. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 33(8), 500–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317518791401

Li, F., & Harmer, P. (2020). Prevalence of falls, physical performance, and dual-task cost while walking in older adults at high risk of falling with and without cognitive impairment. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 15, 945–952. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S254764

Lipardo, D. S., & Tsang, W. W. N. (2018). Falls prevention through physical and cognitive training (falls PACT) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial protocol. BMC Geriatrics, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0868-2

Ma, Y., Li, X., Pan, Y., Zhao, R., Wang, X., Jiang, X., & Li, S. (2021). Cognitive frailty and falls in Chinese elderly people: a population-based longitudinal study. European Journal of Neurology, 28(2), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.14572

Monteiro, A. M., & Borges, M. K. (2023). Association of frailty with cognitive impairment and functional disability in older adults with affective disorders: a brief research report. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1181997

Pedraza, O. L., Salazar, A. M., Sierra, F. A., Soler, D., Castro, J., Castillo, P. C., Hernandez, M. A., & Piñeros, C. (2017). Confiabilidad, validez de criterio y discriminante del Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, en un grupo de Adultos de Bogotá. Acta Médica Colombiana, 41(4). https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2016.693

Rikli, R. E., & Jones, C. J. (2013). Senior fitness test manual. Human kinetics.

Rolf Brickenkamp, & Nicolás Cubero. (2002). D2: test de atención (3rd ed.). TEA.

Sampaio, A., Marques-Aleixo, I., Seabra, A., Mota, J., Marques, E., & Carvalho, J. (2020). Physical fitness in institutionalized older adults with dementia: association with cognition, functional capacity and quality of life. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 32(11), 2329–2338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01445-7

Talar, K., Vetrovsky, T., van Haren, M., Négyesi, J., Granacher, U., Váczi, M., Martín-Arévalo, E., Del Olmo, M. F., Kałamacka, E., & Hortobágyi, T. (2022). The effects of aerobic exercise and transcranial direct current stimulation on cognitive function in older adults with and without cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. In Ageing Research Reviews (Vol. 81). Elsevier Ireland Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2022.101738

Trigás-Ferrín, M., Ferreira-González, L., & Meijide-Míguez, H. (2011). Escalas de valoración funcional en el anciano Scales for the functional assessment in the elderly. In Galicia Clin (Vol. 11, Issue 1).

Zhang, Q., Wu, Y., Han, T., & Liu, E. (2019). Changes in cognitive function and risk factors for cognitive impairment of the elderly in China: 2005–2014. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162847

Zhang, W., Low, L. F., Schwenk, M., Mills, N., Gwynn, J. D., & Clemson, L. (2019). Review of Gait, Cognition, and Fall Risks with Implications for Fall Prevention in Older Adults with Dementia. In Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders (Vol. 48, Issues 1–2, pp. 17–29). S. Karger AG. https://doi.org/10.1159/000504340

Zhao, X., Huang, H., & Du, C. (2022). Association of physical fitness with cognitive function in the community-dwelling older adults. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03564-9

Zhou, R., Li, J., & Chen, M. (2022). The Association Between Cognitive Impairment and Subsequent Falls Among Older Adults: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.900315

Downloads

Published

01-01-2026

Issue

Section

Original Research Article

How to Cite

Zapata-Gil, S., Rivas-Campo, Y., Santiago-Mejía, D., & Afanador-Restrepo, D. F. (2026). Mild cognitive impairment and alteration in physical, cognitive, and functional independence of institutionalized older adults in Cali. Retos, 74, 450-458. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v74.117708