MATCHING LOW-TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTIONS WITH NEEDS OF THE FRAIL, MENTALLY ALERT ELDERLY

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO DESIGN AND EVALUATE A LOW-TECHNOLOGY MATCHING INVENTORY TO MATCH EXISTING LOW-TECHNOLOGY INTERVENTIONS AND DEVICES WITH THE IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE FRAIL, MENTALLY ALERT OLDER PERSON. THE DESIGN OF THE LOW-TECHNOLOGY MATCHING INVENTORY WILL BE PRECEDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOME ENVIRONMENT CHECKLIST AND THE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL) ASSESSMENT. THE HOME ENVIRONMENT CHECKLIST WILL ASSESS THE HOME IN RELATION TO ITS ABILITY TO COMPENSATE FOR AGE-RELATED PHYSICAL AND SENSORY CONCERNS. THE ADL ASSESSMENT WILL RESPOND TO THE DIFFICULTIES EXPRESSED BY THE ELDERLY IN THE 1983 GALLUP POLL. THESE TWO EVALUATIONS WILL PROVIDE THE RATIONALE FOR THE LOW-TECHNOLOGY MATCHING INVENTORY. IN PHASE II, THE LOW-TECHNOLOGY MATCHING INVENTORY WILL BE ADMINISTERD TO A LARGER POPULATION TO DETERMINE ITS EFFECTIVENESS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND INDEPENDENCE IN THE TARGETED MENTALLY ALERT, FRAIL ELDERLY. THE COST TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE DEVICES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR THESE PEOPLE WILL BE ASSESSED, AND THEIR SATIFACTION WITH THESE ADAPTATIONS WILL BE EVALUATED.