ROLE OF DUAL-TASK COST IN PREDICTING FALL RISK AMONG OLDER ADULTS RECEIVING INSTITUTIONAL CARE

There is a need for studies that examine the role of dual-task cost in predicting fall risk among older adults receiving institutional care and that develop classification models that can be used in clinical practice. The planned study aims to determine the discriminative ability of dual-task cost in identifying fall risk and to establish clinically meaningful cutoff values. In this respect, the study will both contribute to a more sensitive assessment of fall risk and provide a scientific basis for a low-cost, practical, and applicable screening approach.

Inclusion Criteria: * Being 65 years of age or older * Residing in a nursing home or care institution for at least 1 month * Ability to walk a distance of at least 10 meters * Ability to ambulate independently with an assistive device (e.g., cane, walker), if needed * Having a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 18 or above * Ability to understand and execute single- and two-step verbal commands * Voluntary agreement to participate in the study and providing informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * History of stroke or major orthopedic surgery within the past 6 monthsPresence of Parkinson's disease Stage ≥3 (Hoehn \& Yahr) or any other neurological condition significantly affecting gait * Having a MoCA score below 18 * History of fracture within the past 3 months * Presence of severe pain affecting gait during test administration (Visual Analog Scale \[VAS\] ≥ 7) * Uncontrolled hypertension (≥ 180/100 mmHg) or unstable cardiovascular status * Active vestibular disease or a history of syncope within the past 3 months * Visual or hearing impairment severe enough to impede test execution * Inability to walk/ambulate without the physical assistance of another person