A Novel Method for Direct Assessment of Everyday Competence Among Older Adults

Overview

Journal J Alzheimers Dis

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Geriatrics
Neurology

Date 2017 Mar 18

PMID 28304300

Citations 25

Authors

Sara J Czaja

David A Loewenstein

Samir A Sabbag

Rosie E Curiel

Elizabeth Crocco

Philip D Harvey

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Recent findings indicate that impairments in functional performance do occur among individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Most assessment strategies for everyday competence are associated with challenges with reliability, are typically in paper and pencil format, or require in-person administration by a trained professional.

Objective: This paper reports on a novel technology-based assessment battery of everyday competence that includes ecologically valid simulations of daily activities important to independence.

Methods: The sample included 85 non-cognitively impaired older adults aged 65+ and 62 older adults diagnosed with amnestic MCI (aMCI). Participants completed standard measures of cognitive abilities and the computerized battery of everyday tasks, which included simulations of a doctor's visit; and medication and financial management tasks.

Results: The older adults with aMCI performed significantly poorer on all three tasks in the everyday task battery. Performance on these measures were also moderately correlated with standard measures of cognitive abilities and showed good test-retest reliability.

Conclusions: The results show that it is feasible to use a technology-based assessment battery of everyday tasks with both non-cognitively impaired older adults and older adults with MCI. The use of this type of battery can overcome many of the logistic constraints associated with current functional assessment protocols.

Citing Articles

Utilizing Technology to Enhance the Ecological Validity of Cognitive and Functional Assessments in Schizophrenia: An Overview of the State-of-the-Art.

Horan W, Moore R, Belanger H, Harvey P Schizophr Bull Open. 2024; 5(1):sgae025.

PMID: 39676763 PMC: 11645460. DOI: 10.1093/schizbullopen/sgae025.

Migration of digital functional capacity assessments from device resident to cloud-based delivery: Development and convergent validity.

Harvey P, Keefe R, Kallestrup P, Czaja S, Klein H, Horan W Schizophr Res Cogn. 2024; 39:100331.

PMID: 39380898 PMC: 11460501. DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2024.100331.

Novel measures of cognition and function for the AD spectrum in the Novel Measures for Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Trials (NoMAD) project: Psychometric properties, convergent validation, and contrasts with established measures.

Kim H, Lee S, Levine A, Huber B, Andrews H, Kerner N Alzheimers Dement. 2024; 20(8):5089-5101.

PMID: 38963127 PMC: 11350053. DOI: 10.1002/alz.13757.

Improvements in performance based measures of functional capacity and cognition after computerized functional skills training in older people with mild cognitive impairment and healthy comparators.

Harvey P, Chirino M, Mueller A, Rivera-Molina A, Zayas-Bazan M, Kallestrup P Psychiatry Res. 2024; 334:115792.

PMID: 38412711 PMC: 10947838. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115792.

Using a digital tool to detect early changes in everyday functioning in older adults: A pilot study of the Assessment of Smartphone Everyday Tasks (ASSET).

Dubbelman M, Hall T, Levesque I, Mimmack K, Sikkes S, Fischer S Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 2023; 15(4):e12506.

PMID: 38111596 PMC: 10725838. DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12506.

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