Relationship Between Activities of Daily Living and Cognitive Function Among Community-Dwelling Elderly in Urban Areas of Kayseri, Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to describe the relationship between activities of daily living and cognitive function community-dwelling elderly in an urban area. Materials and Methods: Participants were 872 randomly selected people aged ≥65 years living in Kayseri, Turkey, who were registered with Family Health Centers. We used the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) to assess participants’ cognitive function, the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) to assess activities of daily living, the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale to assess instrumental activities of daily living, and a questionnaire to assess sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Participants’ mean age was 71.9±5.5 years. The overall prevalence of IADL dependency was 17.6%; dependency was significantly higher in women than in men (by 5.5%). The prevalence of ADL dependency was 0.6%, and there was no sex difference. SMMSE and IADL scores decreased as age increased, whereas the ADL score did not change. Conclusions: Increased age is a fundamental component of cognitive impairment and limitation in activities of daily living. Community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years with cognitive impairment should receive early evaluation for IADL dependency. In addition, a daily living activity scale that takes into account social, cultural and gender characteristics may be useful in early detection of dependence.