Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

To determine which dimensions of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) would best predict the status of the medically disabled elderly, veteran inpatients, outpatients, and nonpatient volunteers were administered the multidimen sional functional assessment portion of the OARS. To determine whether any of the OARS subscales would be related to age-related functional deficits in this population, serial learning and differential reaction time were also assessed in these three groups of participants. Inpatients showed significantly more impaired ratings on all five of the OARS subscales than the outpatients and nonpatients, while outpatients were more impaired than nonpatients on two of the subscales (mental health and activities of daily living). However, physical health and mental health were the only OARS subscales consistently related to serial learning and reaction time performance. These data provide information about the validity of the OARS when used to assess the medically disabled elderly, and suggest a profile of variables that may contribute to overall dys functioning in the medically disabled elderly person. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1988;1:77-83).

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Eisdorfer C. , Wilkie F. : Stress, disease, aging and behavior, in Birren JE , Schaie KW (eds): Handbook of the Psychology of Aging. New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co Inc, 1977, pp 251-275.

Rossman I. : Bodily changes with aging, in Busse EW , Blazer DG (eds): Handbook of Geriatric Psychiatry . New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold , 1980.

Siegler JC , Costa PT : Health Behavior Relationships, in Birren JE , Schaie KW (eds): Handbook of the Psychology of Aging, New York, Van Nostrand Rheinhold Co Inc, 1985 .

Diener E. : Subjective well-being. Psychol Bull 1984;95:542-575.

Palmore EB : Predictors of the longevity difference: A 25-year follow-up. Gerontologist 1982;22:513-518.

Milligan WL , Powell DA , Furchtgott E. : Learning and reaction time performance in older veterans: Relationship to attitudes and life satisfaction. Int J Aging Hum Dev 1981;13:151-168.

Powell DA , Milligan WL , Furchtgott E. : Interaction of physio-medical and psycho-social variables in age-related functional impairments. Int J Aging Hum Dev 1984,19:231-248.

Gurel L. , Linn MW , Linn BS : Physical and mental impairment of function evaluation in the aged: The PAMIE scale. J Gerontol 1972;27:83-90.

Milligan WL , Powell DA , Harley C. , Furchtgott E. : A comparison of physical health and psychosocial variables as predictors of reaction time and serial learning performance in the elderly. J Gerontol 1984;39:704-710.

10.

Pfeiffer E. : Multidimensional Functional Assessment: the OARS Methodology. Durham, NC, Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, 1975.

11.

Birren JE : Age changes in speed of behavior: Its central nature and physiological correlates , in Welford AT , Birren JE (eds): Behavior, Aging, and the Nervous System . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas Publisher, 1965, pp 191-216.

12.

Arenberg D. , Robertson-Tchabo EA : Learning and Aging, in Birren JE , Schaie KW (eds): Handbook of the Psychology of Aging. New York; Van Nostrand Rheinhold Co Inc 1977, pp 214-244.

13.

Milligan WL , Powell DA , Harley C. , Furchtgott E. : Correlates of attitudes toward aging in the elderly. Exp Aging Res 1985;11: 75-80.

14.

Powell DA , Milligan WL , Furchtgott E. : Peripheral autonomic changes accompanying learning and reaction time performance in older people. J Gerontol 1980 ;35:57-65.

15.

Fillenbaum GG , Smyer MA : The development, validity and reliability of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire . J Gerontol 1981;36:428-434.

16.

George LK , Fillenbaum GG : OARS methodology: A decade of experience in geriatric assessment. J Am Geriatr Soc 1985;33: 607-615.

17.

Thorndike EL , Lorge I (eds): The Teachers World Book of 30,000 Words. New York, Teachers College, Columbia University Bureau of Publications, 1944.

18.

Edwards AE : Experimental Design in Psychological Research. New York , Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc, 1964.

19.

Bennett R. , Eckman J. : Attitudes toward aging: A critical examination of recent literature and implications for future research, in Eisdorfer C , Lawton, MP (eds): The Psychology of Adult Development and Aging. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association, 1973.

20.

Larson R. : Thirty years of research on the subjective well-being of older Americans . J Geront 1978;33:109-125.

21.

Controller General of United States: The well being of older people in Cleveland OH. Washington DC, General Accounting Office, 1977.

The Older Americans Resources and Services Interview and the Medically Disabled Elderly

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References