Everyday activity patterns and sensory functioning in old age

Author(s): Klumb, P., Baltes, M. M.

Journal/Book: Psychol Aging. 1997; 12: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Amer Psychological Assoc. 444-457.

Abstract: In the present study the authors investigated the relationship between visual and auditory acuity and everyday activity functioning. Participants were 516 older adults (70-103 years; equal numbers of men and women) who were members of the age-stratified Berlin Aging Study. Two categories of everyday activity functioning, perceived competence with basic activities of daily living (BaCo; basic competence) and amount of participation in discretionary social and leisure tasks (ExCo, expanded competence), were examined. The results revealed that sensory acuity. Particularly vision, was a significant predictor of both BaCo and ExCo (rs ranging from .32 to .47). Indeed, hearing and vision could explain most of the age-related variance in everyday activities. At the same time, in the context of a broader model, evidence for the differential prediction of BaCo and ExCo was found, although there was also evidence for strong general age-related predictive variance that was common to both measures. Discussion focuses on the role of sensory acuity constructs as mediators of age-related variance in psychological and behavioral outcomes and the potential causal implications of this mediation.

Note: Article Marsiske M, Wayne State Univ, Inst Gerontol, 87 E Ferry St, Detroit,MI 48202 USA

Keyword(s): INTELLIGENCE; IMPAIRMENT; PERFORMANCE; DISABILITY; COMMUNITY; GOODNESS; MOBILITY; PEOPLE; FIT

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