Applicability of the Functional Reach and Timed Up and Go Tests for Elderly Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the applicability of the Functional Reach (FR) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease (AD).Participants: Eleven individuals with AD and 9 individuals without dementia participated.Methods: All participants were administered the FR and TUG tests.Results: Mean FR scores were 6.6 inches for the group with AD and 4.4 inches for the group without AD. These scores are reflective of limitations in mobility and increased risk of falling. Mean TUG scores were 21.6 seconds for the AD group and 26.2 seconds for the group without AD. The majority of participants scored within a ‘gray zone’ in which TUG scores vary greatly when correlated with mobility levels.Conclusions: For evaluation of balance of individual with AD, clinicians may not find the FR or TUG tests particularly valuable. The FR test was difficult to administer, and low scores may, to a large extent, reflect an individual's cognitive deficit rather than a frank balance deficit. In contrast, the TUG, while relatively easy to administer, may not detect deficits that would be manifested under typical daily living conditions.