Alzheimer's disease: Functional decline and stage of dementia

Abstract

Objective: To determine how Alzheimer's disease stage is correlated with the functional ability of elderly people, according to the Functional Independence Measure. Methods: This observational and cross-sectional study involved elderly people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. For data collection, the Functional Independence Measure and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale were used. Results: The sample consisted of 67 elderly people (mean age, 79 years). Severe dementia was found in 46.3%, moderate dementia in 22.4%, and mild dementia in 31.3%. The mean scores on the Functional Independence Measure were 107.9, 84.5, and 39.7 for participants with mild, moderate, and severe dementia, respectively. A correlation was found between the Functional Independence Measure and dementia stage (p<0.001). Conclusion: The stage of dementia is an important predictive factor for functional performance problems in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease.