This measure indicates the percentage of residents who spent most of their time in bed or in a chair in their room during the seven-day assessment period.
A decline in physical activity may come with age due to muscle loss, joint stiffness, fear of injury, worsening illness, or depression. Residents who spend too much time in bed or a chair may lose the ability to perform activities of daily living, like eating, dressing, or getting to the bathroom.
Staying in a bed or chair affects the resident in many ways. Unused muscles get weaker. It becomes difficult to participate in physical and social activities. Sleep quality can suffer. The risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or blood clots can increase. Depression and anxiety can worsen. Staying in one position, and constant pressure on the skin can increase the chance of pressure sores. It is important for residents to be as active as possible.
Nursing home staff can help residents be more active. For instance, they can encourage residents to take part in physical activities, or take them for regular walks if they need help. Most residents value being able to take care of themselves. It is important that nursing home staff encourage residents to do as much as they can for themselves and stay as active as physically possible. Some residents will choose to remain in bed or in a chair, even though the nursing home staff makes a good effort to keep them more active. It is also important to note that some residents may be counted in this measure if their assessment period occurs when they are temporarily ill and remaining in bed due to a short-term problem.