title: Assistive devices in an elderly population studied at 70 and 76 years of age.
abstract: The longitudinal Intervention Study of the Elderly in Göteborg, Sweden (IVEG), has provided an opportunity to report on the use of assistive devices in activities of daily living (ADL) in a subsample of elderly persons living in their own homes, who were interviewed at the ages of 70 and 76 (n = 371). Type, frequency, usage rate and effectiveness of assistive devices was studied among all 76-year-olds involved in the IVEG study (n = 595). One-fifth at the age of 70 and almost half of the population at 76 had assistive devices, most frequently in connection with bathing and mobility. A higher percentage of females and subjects living alone used assistive devices compared to men and cohabitants. The longitudinal study showed that 31% developed a need for assistive devices between 70 and 76 years of age, 15% used assistive devices both at 70 and 76 years, while 50% had no devices at 70 or at 76 years of age. The usage rate was high (90%), and a high degree of effectiveness was found, particularly in the form of an increment in safety and a decrement in effort in the various activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Vasa Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sonn
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grimby
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008124:Locomotion; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden