Functional Assessment of Elderly Subjects in Four Service Settings*

Abstract

Rapid, reliable and valid assessment of the functional status of elderly persons is a prerequisite for the efficient provision of appropriate types of services. The Functional Assessment Inventory, a 30-min, multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire, is an abbreviated modification of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. It was administered by interviewers to a stratified sample of 244 elderly persons in a rural county of Florida [USA], in 4 service settings. These 4 sites were nursing homes (63 subjects), adult congregate living facilities (ACLF) (62 subjects), adult day care programs (60 subjects) and senior centers (59 subjects). Patterns of functional impairment for each setting were identified. Nursing home patients showed impairment in all dimensions (physical, mental, economic, social, and activities of daily living [ADL]) with mental and ADL impairments predominating. ACLF subjects showed social, mental and ADL impairments. Subjects in adult day care and senior centers were less generally impaired on all dimensions, with physical, mental and ADL impairments predominating in the day care subjects, and social impairments predominating in the senior center subjects. The respondent refusal rate was < 10%. The findings suggest potential for the widespread use of the new shorter Functional Assessment Inventory for determining the type, level and appropriateness of services for the elderly.