Changes in person-environmental fit and ADL dependence among older Swedish adults. A 10-year follow-up.
Author
Summary, in English
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In order to investigate the relation between personal functional capacity and the physical housing environment during the aging process, the aim of this study was to give a long-term description of person-environmental fit (P-E fit) problems in terms of housing accessibility and ADL dependence among older adults, and to study their relationships at three points in time. METHODS: A 10- year longitudinal design was used: baseline (1994), follow- up 1 (2000) and follow-up 2 (2004). Using the Swedish national population register, a baseline sample of persons aged 75-84 years was identified. Of the 133 participants at baseline, the 31 participants still available at follow-up 2 were included in this study. Data on housing accessibility, functional limitations and dependence in ADL were collected by means of interviews and observations at home visits. RESULTS: P-E fit problems increased significantly between baseline and follow-up 1 and between follow-ups 1 and 2. No significant changes in overall ADL dependence were recorded. The total number of functional limitations, dependence on walking aids and P-E fit were significantly correlated to ADL dependence, at both follow-up 1 and follow-up 2, but not at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Results confirm that functional decline is a major driver toward increased ADL dependence during the aging process, whereas environmental barriers per se are not related to such disability. Instead, P-E fit is significantly related to ADL dependence, and the relationship grows stronger with advancing age.
Publishing year
2008
Language
English
Pages
469-478
Publication/Series
Aging clinical and experimental research
Volume
20
Issue
5
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Kurtis
Topic
- Occupational Therapy
Status
Published
Research group
- Sustainable occupations and health in a life course perspective
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1720-8319