The Instrumental Activity of Daily Living Profile in Aging: A Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctions in complex activities of daily living (ADLs) are a normal part of the aging process. However, differentiating functional decline associated with healthy aging from the subtle decline experienced by individuals with mild cognitive impairment and early dementia constitutes a challenge. Finding an appropriate tool that can capture these subtle but important functional changes represents a priority. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Profile (IADL Profile) with elderly participants and to describe their level of difficulty encountered in each task. METHODS: The tool was administered to a group of 40 elderly participants living in the community. RESULTS: The IADL Profile was found to be feasible to use in older individuals; the tool also showed sensitivity to the difficulties experienced by this population in everyday functioning. CONCLUSION: The IADL Profile is a promising ecological tool to evaluate independence in aging and may help to identify individuals with MCI. This tool may also contribute to the development of tailored interventions to enhance everyday functioning in the older population.