An Assessment of Functional Status of the Elderly in an Institution.
- Author:
Jong Han PARK
1
;
Jeong Geun LIM
;
Dong Won KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Activities of Daily Living;
Aged*;
Daegu;
Dementia;
Hearing;
Home Care Services;
Humans;
Korea
- From:Journal of the Korean Neurological Association
1994;12(4):647-651
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
It is supposed in Korea that institutional care for the elderly would increase while their home care would decrease. Assessment of the functional status is of much importance for effective caregiving for the institutionalized people. The functional status was evaluated in 89 elderly residents of an institution in Taegu, using the Korean version of the mini-mental state examination, the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, the Barthel Activities of Daily Living, and the Motoricity Index. Vision and hearing were also examined. Based on scores of the Korean version of mini-mental state examination, 45% were found to have definite cognitive impairment and further 25% to have questionable cognitive impairment. About 35% of the subjects possibly had mild or more severe dementia on the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale. Fifty-seven percent had impairment in activities of daily living, and 66% had impairment in motor power. Sixteen percent and 20% had poor vision and hearing difficulty, respectively, to the degree of impairment in daily activities. These findings indicate that more than half of elderly people in institutional care may need either partial or total help from others.
