Compared Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) scores and activities of daily living (ADL) scores from 59 patients with progressive dementias. MMSE scores explained approximately one-third of variance in both instrumental and physical ADLs. Findings suggest that cognitive losses and functional impairments are 2 distinct aspects of dementia severity which…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between functional disability and the use of health care services in a nationally representative sample of older adults by using the Andersen behavioral model of health services utilization. Design and Methods: The study used 12 years of longitudinal…

Considers impoverishment as a consequence of continuous institutionalization in a nursing home to be a public policy problem and the plight for any older Americans. Discusses one form of long-term care (LTC) insurance, the continuing care retirement community or life care community, and contrasts this small LTC self-insurance group with two other…

Proposes a conceptual model to describe and understand differences between functional capability and actual functional performance in the home. Results indicate that many older people appear to be both overachieving and underachieving in their functional performance relative to self-reports of functional capacity.(MKA)

The study of home environments is a research domain within the field of environmental gerontology that addresses issues related to aging in place. Despite the importance of aging at home, there are few recent studies in this area and most are descriptive and lack theoretical direction. This article examines the current state of research on home…

Compared the progress of elderly patients at a short-term residential facility. Patients with diagnosed dementia (N=15) showed improvements comparable to patients (N=15) with psychiatric problems but no diagnosed dementia on several skills, while showing little or no progress in other areas. Discusses implications for remediation of skill deficits…

Presents the results of administering the Direct Awareness of Functional Abilities (DAFA) and the Pfeefer Activities Questionnaire to 28 demented, and 15 control subjects. Results show that the DAFA may provide a more objective measure of functional status in demented subjects than is provided by indirect methods of assessment. (MKA)

The Assessment of Living Skills and Resources (ALSAR) systematically evaluates accomplishment of 11 tasks by separately rating patient skill and resource levels for each task and combining levels to determine risk. Administered ALSAR to 75 elderly veterans. Found ALSAR predicted change to more supportive living arrangements and more structured…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to estimate the effect of obesity on both the length of life and length of nondisabled life for older Americans. Design and Methods: Using data from the first 3 waves of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) survey, this article develops estimates of total, active, and disabled life…

Purpose: Agitation frequently accompanies cognitive decline among nursing home residents. This study used cross-sectional and longitudinal (up to 18 months) methods to examine agitation among profoundly and moderately impaired residents using both staff report and direct observation methods. Design and Methods: The study included participants (N =…

Purpose: Getting dressed is an activity that is of particular difficulty for many persons with dementia, given the need for hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and overall planning skills. Despite several studies concerning interventions to improve dressing behavior, very little is known about the dressing process as it is currently…

Purpose: To identify the most common beliefs concerning the negative consequences of falling and determine whether these motivate avoidance of activity. Design and Methods: A questionnaire assessing feared consequences of falling was completed by 224 community-living people aged older than 75. Beliefs about the consequences of falling were related…

Compared 40 matched pairs of patients discharged from acute care to either nursing homes or to Hawaii's geriatric foster family care program. Foster family patients showed more improvement in well-being and mobility and equal improvement in activities of daily living skills. The cost of foster family care was 61% that of nursing home care.…

Surveyed 34 residential managers concerning their acceptance and eviction criteria and their perceptions of older people as desirable tenants. Independence was central issue which managers assessed. Most supported frail elderly tenants with informal services; urged residential change when impairment worsened. Most evictions were for behavioral or…

Surveyed 64 site managers of subsidized housing for independent elderly to determine staff response to residents' loss of functional independence. Found that most sites lacked adequate staff with training to monitor aging population. No clear policies were found regarding when to retain or transfer residents. Staff appeared unprepared to locate or…