Disability in daily life activities and visual impairment. A population study of 85-year-old people living at home
Sammanfattning
Within the framework of the gerontological and geriatric population studies in GoÈteborg, Sweden, H70, 617
85-year-old people were studied in a cross-sectionalstudy. The purpose was to describe disability in activities
of daily living (ADL) and how it is related to visual impairment, focusing on age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). People with visual impairment, especially those with AMD, were found to be more dependent on help in both personal activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living
compared with elderly persons with normal vision. The proportion of participants with disability in ADL
and the relative risk of developing ADL dependence increased with the decrease in visual acuity (VA).
However, the relationship between ADL and VA was weak, implying that people adapt to the consequences
of the disease, although to different degrees. The results indicate that early detection and intervention might
be essential to improve the odds for successful rehabilitation