Assoc. Prof. Donald S. Lipardo, PhD of the Department of Physical Therapy won third place in the oral research presentation (professional category) contest of the MMHC, for his study entitled “Physiological and physical risks of falling in community-dwelling older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment: A cross-sectional study.” Co-authoring the paper with Lipardo is Prof. William W.N. William Tsang, PhD of the Department of Physiotherapy of the Open University of Hong Kong.
Intending to delve into the difference between the likelihood of falls between older adults with mild cognitive impairment and those without, the study recruited 230 community-dwelling Manila senior citizens who were subjected to a battery of tests, including the Physiological Profile Assessment (to examine physiological fall risk), Timed-Up and Go Test (to assess dynamic balance and functional mobility), and the 10-Meter Walk Test (to measure gait speed).
The study confirmed that those with mild cognitive impairment were at higher risk of falls based on physiological profile compared to those without.
Lipardo is a researcher of the Center for Health Research and Movement Science and is a faculty council member of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences.
