A human factors analysis of ADL activities: a capability-demand approach

Older adults frequently encounter difficulties performing daily living activities. Often times these difficulties arise because environmental demands create barriers which hinder task performance. Currently, there is little empirical data that relate environmental demands to functional capabilities...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of gerontology (Kirkwood) 1993-09, Vol.48 Spec No (Special_Issue), p.44-48
Main Authors: Czaja, S J, Weber, R A, Nair, S N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of Daily Living
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Environment
Environment Design
Female
Frail Elderly
Hand - physiology
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Locomotion - physiology
Male
Middle Aged
Movement - physiology
Muscles - physiology
Older people
Posture - physiology
Quality of life
Sex Factors
Social research
Space life sciences
Task Performance and Analysis
Videotape Recording
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Summary:Older adults frequently encounter difficulties performing daily living activities. Often times these difficulties arise because environmental demands create barriers which hinder task performance. Currently, there is little empirical data that relate environmental demands to functional capabilities of older adults. The concepts and methods of Human Factors Engineering can be used to accomplish this goal. Human Factors views task performance within a systems context and maintains that successful task performance is dependent on a match between task demands and human capabilities. This article will discuss how Human Factors methodologies can be used to analyze problems encountered by older adults performing routine activities. Data from a study concerned with identifying physiological demands associated with personal and instrumental activities of daily living will be used to demonstrate the utility of using this approach.
ISSN:0022-1422
2331-3323
DOI:10.1093/geronj/48.Special_Issue.44