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. 2017 Jun;36(6):647-666.
doi: 10.1177/0733464815581479. Epub 2015 Apr 13.

Compensatory Strategies: Prevalence of Use and Relationship to Physical Function and Well-Being

Laura N Gitlin  1 , Laraine Winter  2 , Ian H Stanley  1
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Compensatory Strategies: Prevalence of Use and Relationship to Physical Function and Well-Being

Laura N Gitlin et al. J Appl Gerontol. 2017 Jun.

Abstract

We examine prevalence of four compensatory strategies (assistive devices, receiving help, changing frequency, or method of performance) and their immediate and long-term relationship to well-being. A total of 319 older adults (>70 years) with functional difficulties at home provided baseline data; 285 (89%) provided 12-month data. For 17 everyday activities, the most frequently used strategy was changing method of performance ( M = 10.27 activities), followed by changing frequency ( M = 6.17), assistive devices ( M = 5.38), and receiving help ( M = 3.37; p = .001). Using each strategy type was associated with functional difficulties at baseline ( ps < .0001), whereas each strategy type except changing method predicted functional decline 12 months later ( ps < .0001). Changing frequency of performing activities was associated with depressed mood ( p < .0001) and poor mastery ( p < .0001) at both baseline and 12 months ( ps < .02). Findings suggest that strategy type may be differentially associated with functional decline and well-being although reciprocal causality and the role of other factors in these outcomes cannot be determined from this study.

Keywords: adaptation; assistive devices; depression; frailty; home care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Use of compensatory strategies by number and type of activities at baseline. Note. ADL = activities of daily living; IADL = instrumental activities of daily living.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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