title: Physical and functional health assessment in normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease: self-reports vs family reports.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kiyak
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index