Determinants of Maintenance and Recovery of Function in a Representative Older Community-Resident Biracial Sample.
Gerda G Fillenbaum, Richard Sloane, Bruce M Burchett and 4 others
PMID 32037299WHAT IT FOUND
About three quarters of older adults stayed independent in basic self-care over six years.
Nearly half of those who became impaired recovered, and recovery was linked to younger age, no recent hospitalization, and larger household.
Key findings
01Among older adults who began independent in basic self-care, about three quarters remained independent over six years, and nearly half of those who became impaired recovered.
02Recovery after basic self-care impairment was associated with younger age, no hospitalization in the previous year, and larger household size; ability to walk half a mile was not associated with recovery.
03Bathing or showering was the most frequently impaired basic self-care activity, and about half of incident impairments involved a single activity.
STILL TO COME
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What it does not show
This was an observational cohort, not a trial, so it cannot prove that any factor caused impairment or recovery. The authors say they had no direct evidence that larger households provided support that actually aided recovery. The study used annual data, so shorter-term changes and the timing of recovery may be missed. It examined only five basic self-care tasks, not more complex daily activities such as household or advanced activities. Some relevant health conditions, including musculoskeletal and sensory disorders, were not considered. Health conditions and hospitalization were self-reported, although the authors state self-report has adequate accuracy. The sample was limited to African American and White participants from a North Carolina cohort, and 144 people were dropped because death, dropout, or missing data prevented recovery assessment.
Declared interests
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The article is tagged as supported by NIH extramural research, but the supplied text does not state what role the funder had.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that larger household size or avoiding hospitalization will make an older adult recover basic self-care. This was an observational study, and the authors state they had no direct evidence that household support caused recovery.