Gaps between Activities of Daily Living Performance and Capacity in People with Mild Dementia

Persons with mild dementia can effectively maintain and improve their quality of life (QOL) by regularly performing their daily activities. However, research on activities of daily living (ADL) in this population often fails to distinguish between ADL performance and ADL capability, that is, actual independence in daily lives and potential independence in an ideal setting. This study aimed to identify the potential gaps between ADL performance and capability in individuals with mild dementia. A total of 137 community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) who had been diagnosed with dementia and assessed as 0.5 and 1 on a global clinical dementia rating (CDR). Participants were evaluated for basic ADL (BADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) using the Hyogo Activities of Daily Living Scale (HADLS). Around 35 individuals who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. BADL performance and BADL capacity were not significantly different (p = 0.128); however, participants rated IADL capacity significantly higher than IADL performance (p < 0.01). Gaps between performance and capability were observed for IADL but not for BADL. This study distinguishes between ADL performance and capability in individuals with mild dementia and is the first to identify the IADL-specific gap between these two components; pertinent targeted interventions are vital in closing this gap. Environmental adjustments are important to improve QOL of persons with mild dementia.