Objectives. This article describes the development of an assessment of functional disability for use with proxyrespondents of community-dwelling persons who have Alzheimer’s disease as well as a study testing its reliability.

Method. Panels composed of health care professionals and caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease were used to develop the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD). Fifty-nine caregivers participated in the refinement of the content and the testing of reliability.

Results. The DAD includes 40 items: 17 related to basic self-care and 23 to instrumental activities of daily living. It demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .96) and excellent interrater (N = 31, ICC = .95) and test–retest (N = 45, ICC = .96) reliability. In addition, it was found not to have gender bias.

Conclusion. This instrument may help clinicians and caregivers of the population with Alzheimer’s disease make decisions regarding the choice of suitable interventions.

Keywords:
alzheimer's disease, dementia, disability, functional measures
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Copyright © 1999 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
1999
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