Which condition is listed as affecting mobility in older adults?

• A. Parkinson's disease
• B. Dementia
• C. Multiple Sclerosis
• D. Osteoarthritis

Answer: (A)

Mobility impairment in older adults is most directly linked to movement disorders, with Parkinson's disease being a classic example. This condition directly disrupts motor control, leading to bradykinesia (slowness of movement), rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability. These symptoms combine to slow walking, create a shuffling gait, reduce balance, and make it hard to start or stop movement, all of which significantly limit daily mobility and raise fall risk.

Dementia primarily affects cognition rather than movement, though it can contribute to functional decline. Multiple sclerosis can involve mobility but typically has variable onset and presentations. Osteoarthritis causes joint pain and stiffness that limit movement, but that limitation stems from joint pathology rather than a primary motor control disorder. Parkinson's disease is the most direct example among these options of a condition that literally impairs mobility in older adults.