Does functional assessment of individuals aged 80-plus give rise to scientific discussion – considerations based on literature review

Abstract

Introduction and objective. For many years, Europe has been struggling with the problem of an aging society. It is obvious that everyone would like to live longer while retaining good psycho-physical health and social activity. This, however, is influenced by many factors, such as health, which may be a form of limitation in everyday life or in performing social roles in accordance with the norms. Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze the use of scales for functional assessment of basic and complex daily living activities in individuals aged 80+ in various EU countries. Materials and method. Potentially essential articles were obtained through review and analysis of the PUBMED (MEDLINE) database by entering the following keywords: functional activities of daily living, ADL, IADL, complex activities of daily living, basic activities of daily living. Article selection was based on the following inclusion criteria set by the authors and the appointed Advisory Board. Results. Assessment of independence and fitness of elderly persons in the area of basic and complex activities of daily living provides information on the quality of life of senior individuals. Analysis of research data used for comparing functional independence of senior persons on the basis of ADL and IADL scales is difficult due to the discrepancies, which may be confusing for researchers studying this area. Conclusions. The use of different methodologies for assessing functional fitness of elderly individuals makes it difficult to interpret, compare and practically apply the outcomes. Standardization of research methods used for assessment of basic and complex daily living activities in 80+ persons would enable comparing the obtained data in an interdisciplinary perspective.