Minimum Wage Group:

The elderly in this group consist of older adults earning a minimum wage.

Above Minimum Wage Group:

The elderly in this group consist of older adults whose income levels are above the minimum wage threshold.

What makes this study different is that participants are categorized according to income levels, and detailed analyses are conducted between the subgroups.

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE):

The Mini-Mental State Examination is a scale used to assess individuals' cognitive status. It evaluates attention, orientation, memory, the ability to follow verbal and written commands, spontaneous writing, and copying complex drawings. The total score is 30, with a cutoff point of 24; scores below 24 indicate cognitive impairment. The Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Güngen et al. in 2002

The Hodkinson Mental Test was developed by H.M. Hodkinson in 1972 and is used to assess cognitive functions in older adults. The test consists of 10 questions in total, with each correct answer worth 1 point. Scores below 7 indicate cognitive impairment. The test can be completed in less than 5 minutes and is a short, easy-to-administer tool that does not include culturally specific questions .

Dominant Side Single-Leg Stance Test:

In this test, if the participant uses a walking aid, timing starts when they lift their dominant leg and release the aid; if not, timing begins when the dominant leg is lifted. The test ends when the foot touches the ground. If the participant can balance for more than 30 seconds, the test is completed. The duration is recorded in seconds. A result of less than 10 seconds indicates balance impairment, and less than 5 seconds indicates a risk of falling (17).

Sit-to-Stand Test:

The participant, seated on a standard 43 cm-high chair with arms crossed over the shoulders, is asked to stand up and sit down as quickly as possible for 30 seconds. The number of full stands completed is recorded.

The Geriatric Pain Scale, developed by Ferrell BA and colleagues in 2000, is a 24-item multidimensional scale. It assesses five dimensions: pain-related withdrawal (items 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24), pain intensity (items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 22, 23), pain with movement (items 9, 10, 11, 12), pain during strenuous activities (items 8, 13, 14), and pain during other activities (items 7, 15, 16, 17, 22). Twenty-two items are scored as "Yes" or "No," and 2 items are scored on a 0-10 scale. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with 0-30 indicating mild pain, 30-69 moderate pain, and 70 or above severe pain (31). The Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by Dursun and Bektas (2017). The Cronbach's alpha for the entire scale was 0.85, with subscale alpha values ranging from 0.67 to 0.93 (19).