Authors

  1. Tudor-Locke, Catrine PhD, FACSM

Abstract

Capacity for mobility is typically assessed by using short-distance walking tests. Enacted mobility, on the contrary, focuses on individuals' habitual movement within their environment, as performed under free-living (ie, real-world) conditions. The purpose of this article is to briefly review several approaches that have evolved over the past 2 decades to capture enacted mobility in older adults. These include the following: (1) life-space assessment; (2) pedometry; (3) accelerometry; (4) Global Positioning System tracking; and (5) smart home technology. The choice of measure ultimately is dependent on the information sought, population characteristics, setting, and available resources.