The Gerontologist, Vol 34, Issue 3 324-330, Copyright © 1994 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Physical and functional health assessment in normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease: self-reports vs family reports

HA Kiyak, L Teri and S Borson
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

This longitudinal 2-year study compared self and family members' reports of physical and functional health among 40 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 53 age-matched nondemented healthy older persons. Functional health was consistently rated as more impaired by family caregivers of demented patients than by the patients themselves, a discrepancy not observed in the cognitively intact comparison group. Caregiver reports correlated significantly with declines in patients' cognitive abilities as measured by formal testing, but self-reports did not. Patients did recognize deterioration in ADLs over time, despite progressively worsening cognitive ability. These data indicate that the capacity for self-observation is partially preserved in Alzheimer's patients in mild to moderate stages. Patient self-reports can provide valuable data for clinicians, but should be supplemented by detailed information from caregivers.

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