Compensatory Strategies: Prevalence of Use and Relationship to Physical Function and Well-Being
Journal of Applied Gerontology
Published online on April 13, 2015
Abstract
We examine prevalence of four compensatory strategies (assistive devices, receiving help, changing frequency, or method of performance) and their immediate and long-term relationship to well-being. A total of 319 older adults (>70 years) with functional difficulties at home provided baseline data; 285 (89%) provided 12-month data. For 17 everyday activities, the most frequently used strategy was changing method of performance (M = 10.27 activities), followed by changing frequency (M = 6.17), assistive devices (M = 5.38), and receiving help (M = 3.37; p = .001). Using each strategy type was associated with functional difficulties at baseline (ps < .0001), whereas each strategy type except changing method predicted functional decline 12 months later (ps < .0001). Changing frequency of performing activities was associated with depressed mood (p < .0001) and poor mastery (p < .0001) at both baseline and 12 months (ps < .02). Findings suggest that strategy type may be differentially associated with functional decline and well-being although reciprocal causality and the role of other factors in these outcomes cannot be determined from this study.