Activities of daily living performance in dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the activities of daily living ADL performance profile of community-living people with dementia and to investigate its relationship with dementia severity.

MATERIALS & METHODS: ADL performance of 86 subjects were evaluated using Barthel Index (BI), Lawton and Brody's Instrumental Activities Daily Living (IADL) and Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Dementia severity was measured by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR).

RESULTS: Subjects were able to perform most basic ADL (BI mean = 16.4) and some IADL (Lawton and Brody's IADL mean = 4.3). The AMPS process ability measure and the Lawton and Brody's IADL were significantly correlated with CDR (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with mild dementia were able to perform mostly all basic ADL and some IADL. The AMPS process ability measure and the Lawton and Brody's IADL could provide useful information on their ability to live independently in the community.