Comparison between ability and performance: a study on the functionality of dependent elderly individuals.

OBJECTIVE to compare the ability and performance of Basic Activities of Daily Living of dependent elderly individuals cared for in a geriatric healthcare center. METHOD cross-sectional, observational study with quantitative approach. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was applied in 109 elderly individuals cared for in a geriatric healthcare center. Of these, 60 individuals were classified as dependent in the case of basic activities of daily living described according to the International Classification of Functionality, Disability and Health (ICF). The process of triangulation reinforced reliability of data, which included information provided by patients and caregivers and that contained in medical files and objective assessment. RESULTS the average age was 81.0±7.1 with a predominance of women. The difference between ability and performance was statistically significant (p<0.05) in most daily tasks. CONCLUSION the contribution of this study in using ICF was semi-quantitatively interpreting its qualifiers, which enabled more objective comparisons and inferences, and revealed a clear distance between the performance and ability of these individuals in most of the assessed activities.