Standard Values of Activities of Daily Living Scores in Randomly Selected Elderly Persons

Abstract

In a randomly selected sample of 1, 000 persons aged 55 years and older (sampling rate: 2%), we investigated standard values of activities of daily living (ADL) scores as assessed with the Self-Rating Barthel Index (SR-BI). The final sample consisted of 752 persons who were living at home at the time of investigation, and their average age was 67.1±7.8 (mean±SD). Standard values of SR-BI scores were as follows: 99.9 for male and 99.2 for female 55-59 year old group, 99.6 for male and 99.0 for female 60-69 year old group, 97.3 for male and 98.0 for female 70-79 year old group, 96.9 for male and 93.2 for female 80-90 year old group. The standard SR-BI value decreased with age, but no significant differences were found between the two sexes (t-test). 97.7% of the sample scored 90 and over and 88.7% scored 100 on the SR-BI.