Rehabilitation Pathways and Mobility Expectations: A Real‑World Cross‑Sectional Study in Older Adults with Neurological Conditions

Introduction: This real‑world study explored mobility expectations in neurological patients. The study assessed how demographic, clinical, and rehabilitation‑related factors shape these mobility orientations and how they reflect autonomy‑oriented rehabilitation needs in community‑based care.

Methods: A cross‑sectional analysis was conducted on 400 users who received mobility aids. Prescriptions of mobility devices were interpreted as indicators of users’ preferred or expected mobility patterns—remaining indoors, engaging in partial mobility, or moving independently outdoors. Chi-squared tests assessed statistical associations (p < 0.05)

Results: Across the mobility‑device user population of approximately four hundred individuals, with a mean age of 70±5, about one third requested an indoor‑oriented mobility pattern. Males were significantly more likely than females to express an outdoor‑oriented mobility expectation through their prescriptions (p<0.0001), suggesting sex‑related differences in perceived or desired autonomy. Clinical conditions were significantly associated with mobility orientation (p<0.0005), with stroke more frequently linked to outdoor mobility request. Residential care home hospitalization was associated with indoor expectations (p<0.05), reflecting higher dependency. Territorial variability emerged, with suburban districts showing higher frequencies of outdoor orientation (p<0.0005).

Conclusion: Mobility expectations inferred from device prescriptions reflect demographic patterns, clinical severity, territorial barriers, and rehabilitation pathways. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring assistive technology to functional needs and environmental demands to promote autonomy and participation in daily and community life.