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Short-Term Disability Fluctuations in Late Life

Author

Listed:
  • Erwin Stolz
  • Thomas M Gill
  • Hannes Mayerl
  • Wolfgang Freidl
  • Deborah Carr

Abstract

Objectives Late-life disability is highly dynamic but within-person short-term fluctuations have not been assessed previously. We analyze how substantial such late-life disability fluctuations are and whether they are associated with time-to-death, long-term disability trajectories, frailty, and sociodemographics. Methods Monthly survey data (Precipitating Events Project Study) on activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL) disability (0–9) in the last years of life from 642 deceased respondents providing 56,308 observations were analyzed with a two-step approach. Observation-level residuals extracted from a Poisson mixed regression model (first step), which depict vertical short-term fluctuations from individual long-term trajectories, were analyzed with a linear mixed regression model (second step). Results Short-term disability fluctuations amounted to about one ADL/IADL limitation, increased in the last 4 years of life, and were closely associated with disability increases. Associations with frailty or sociodemographics characteristics were absent except for living alone. Discussion Short-term disability fluctuations in late life were substantial, were linked to mortality-related processes, and represent a concomitant feature of disability increases in late life.

Suggested Citation

  • Erwin Stolz & Thomas M Gill & Hannes Mayerl & Wolfgang Freidl & Deborah Carr, 2019. "Short-Term Disability Fluctuations in Late Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 74(8), pages 135-140.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:74:y:2019:i:8:p:e135-e140.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbz089
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