Physical functioning is related to both an impaired physical ability and ADL disability: a ten year follow-up study in middle-aged and older persons.

Objective: Identification of measures of physical function that mediate or link impaired physical ability with disability in activities of daily living (ADL) is necessary to facilitate the development of interventions to prevent or delay the onset of ADL disability. We examined whether measures of physical function at baseline are determinants of the Short Physical Performance Battery, as measure of physical ability, and disability, at ten years follow-up.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study in 625 middle-aged and older persons.

Association between physical performance characteristics and independence in activities of daily living in middle-aged and elderly men.

Aim: Functional status at one moment in time is a determinant of future functional status and survival. Physical deterioration tends to occur early in the disabling process; however, etiological questions remain. This study investigated the association between physical performance characteristics and functioning independently in middle-aged and elderly men.

Physical performance characteristics related to disability in older persons: a systematic review.

Background: Progressive disability develops with older age in association with underlying disease, comorbidity and frailty. Physical performance characteristics are important to improve the physical condition of older persons and therefore may be able to prevent or delay the onset of (progressive) disability. However lack of understanding of the physiology and etiology of functional decline leading to disability causes a problem in the development of effective preventive interventions.

Vascular status and physical functioning: the association between vascular status and physical functioning in middle-aged and elderly men: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Living independently is an important component of quality of life. Cardiovascular diseases are prominent among the chronic conditions that predispose elderly people to functional limitations and disability, which impair quality of life. Insight into factors that play a role in the development process of limitations and disability of patients with subclinical cardiovascular diseases will aid in the development of preventive interventions.