Factors that influence activities of daily living in the elderly with probable dementia

Abstract

Accessible summary The aim of the research was to identify the factors that influence activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly with probable dementia. Factors that influenced ADL were faecal and urinary incontinence, regularity of exercise, MMSE-KC score and stroke history. The factors that affect ADL in the present study can serve as a basis to develop a multidisciplinary intervention programme with the aim of reducing admissions to long-term care facilities by increasing the ability to perform ADL. Such interventions should also aim to improve physical and mental health statuses and promote social and interpersonal interactions. These activities promote cognitive function and contribute to help for prevention of dementia. This study identified five factors influencing ADL that can guide researchers and nurses in developing strategies to improve ADL. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly with probable dementia. The participants were 152 older adults who voluntarily visited a hospital to participate in a national dementia free screening programme. General characteristics, health-related characteristics, ADL, Mini-Mental State Examination Korean Consortium (MMSE-KC) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score were evaluated in this study. The data were analysed using independent t-tests, Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The ADL score of the participants was 14.3, and 88.2% of the participants were severe cognitive disorder. ADL scores were positively related with MMSE-KC scores (r = 0.35, P < 0.001) and negatively with GDS scores (r = -0.20, P = 0.014). Factors that influenced ADL were faecal and urinary incontinence, regularity of exercise, MMSE-KC score and stroke history; these five variables explained 30.8% of the ADL score for the elderly with probable dementia. Multidisciplinary interventions are essential to improve the ADL and prevent deterioration of cognitive function in elderly patients with probable dementia.