Assessing Self-Efficacy for Safe and Independent Living: A Cross-Sectional Study in Vulnerable Older Adults

In older adults, impaired performance in instrumental activities of daily living (ADL) is associated with vulnerability to harm and diminished capability for safe and independent living. Self-reported measures, despite their limitations, are increasingly used to identify vulnerability in community-living older adults and may not provide accurate evidence of an older adults ability to live safely an independently. A cross-sectional study of 100 older adults with adult protective service substanitated self-neglecting behavior(s), and 100 matched community-living comparisons was conducted to evalaute the association between ADL self-efficacy (ADL-SE) and performance on standardized testing. The Kohlman Evaluation of Living Skills (KELS) and a validated self-report measure of efficacy to perform activities of daily living (ADL) are used. In older adults whose vulnerability presents as self-neglecting behaviors, ADL-SE may not be associated with ADL performance on standardized testing but may still reflect their performance of routine ADL tasks needed for safe and independent living.