EVALUATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITIVE STATUS AND DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES IN PATIENTS OVER 80 YEARS OF AGE FOLLOWED AT A HEALTHY AGING CENTER

https://doi.org/10.71284/tjmhs.2026321

Abstract

Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between mental status and activities of daily living in patients over 80 years of age who were followed up at the Healthy Aging Center.
Materials and Methods: In our cross-sectional analytical study, 322 individuals aged 80 and over, residing in Karabük and registered at the Healthy Aging Center, were included in the study. The Standardized Mini Mental Test (SMMT) was used to assess mental status, the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) was used to assess basic activities of daily living, the Lawton Activities of Daily Living (LADL) was used to assess instrumental activities of daily living, and a questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics was administered Results: The study group consisted of 57.01% women and 42.99% men, with an average age of 84.50±4.05. The mean SMMT score was found to be 22.9, and the percentage of elderly individuals with cognitive dysfunction (below the cutoff value) was 41.74%. The mean SMMT score for men was 23.91±4.93, while for women it was 22.15±5.51; men's MMT scores were statistically significantly higher than women's (p<0.01). The Lawton Brody Scale score was 6.24±2.32 for men and 5.29±2.6 for women; men's scores were statistically significantly higher than women's. The EGYA score was 5.7, and 59.7% of the participants were found to be
semi- or fully dependent. The Katz score was 4.96±1.33 for men and 4.61±1.53 for women; men's scores were statistically significantly higher than women's. A low/moderate negative correlation was found between the Lawton Brody Scale score and age, and a moderate positive correlation between the Lawton Brody Scale score and age. A weak negative correlation was found between the MMT score and age, a weak positive correlation between age and BMI, a low/moderate positive correlation between age and KATZ scores, and a moderate positive correlation between age and Lawton Brody Scale scores.
Conclusion: The findings of our study reveal the impact of gender, education, health status, and socioeconomic conditions on cognitive dysfunction and dependence in daily living activities in older adults. Identifying risk factors for cognitive functioning and independence in old age requires a multidisciplinary approach to improve quality of life and reduce dependence. Accordingly, developing strategies tailored to the needs of older adults will contribute to a healthy aging process.
Keywords: Cognitive impairment, Activities of daily living, Mini-mental test, Older adults