Walking Is Guided by a Sense of Direction

The person can follow an escort to reach daily destinations (bedroom, bathroom and dining room). They recognize their arrival when they see the toilet, bed or the table set with food and water.

They walk in the direction that is pointed to and will notice and adjust to obvious barriers below their knees when cued. Independent awareness of uneven surfaces that are less than the size of a curb or a stair step is not dependable, and an escort is needed to point out broken pavement, tree roots, rocks, gravel etc.

A sense of direction may be programmed into the DNA. In 2012, neuroscience researchers found a sense of direction in people with epilepsy and called them grid cells; in 2010 a sense of direction was found to be innate in baby rats. These advances support a brain / DNA foundation for a sense of direction.

Their expected task performance is dominated by the addition of a linear sense of direction. Additional movement and sensory information meets the needs of using the new linear information. Personal identity, or the sense of self, combines those pieces of information and creates a new individual experience.

There are some people who walk around all day long and other people who are periodic walkers. Times for walking, seated activities, rest periods while sitting, eating and sleeping would give a picture of their quality of life during an ordinary day.

They will answer a question or respond to a command in about 10 to 15 seconds. The pace of walking is very slow and should probably be measured by the number of steps taken per minute.

I wonder if the number of steps they take per minute decreases when they get sick? If so, that objective number might be useful in detecting the onset of a new medical illness or the flare up of an old one.

Internal cues usually stimulate the desire to go to another location, and they will usually recognize a destination when they arrive. They may forget or never form a reason to go to another location. When they do have a reason, it is usually either hunger, thirst or a need to void.

A sense of direction seems to be an innate use of linear information that guides walking to a place in the physical environment. That linear information does not seem to be used within ACL 2.4 when people walk aimlessly or follow someone to go where they are escorted to.

Linear information is added to the scale in ACL 2.6, which provides a sense of direction.

While they are walking, the quickest screen is to ask them where they are going. If you do not get an answer, a sense of direction moves people in a straight line. Within ACL 2.6, many people walk beside the wall in hallways or around the perimeter of larger rooms.

If they are unable to weight bear, they may be able to push and pull with the dowel stick used with upper extremity range of motion exercises.

When asked, a person can tell you where they are going, even though they may be walking in the wrong direction. In a new residential facility, they will recognize their bedroom, bathroom and dining room in about 2 to 3 weeks, but will probably need an escort to get there.

The person can track different sensations on their body. Try brushing at different body parts. Wait for the person's reaction. A soft massage maybe appreciated by the person who is lying in bed or seated up in a supportive seating.