Age-related declines in church attendance were substantively explained by declining functional ability.
Thirty-three percent had no identified healthcare surrogate; 59% had no do-not-resuscitate order despite declining functional status and limited prognosis.
With advancing age and declining functional capacity [9], older adults are more prone to health-related problems such as declining muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance [10, 11].
Changes in religious media use were independent of age and less sensitive to declining functional status or service attendance than to cultural heritage such as race, socioeconomic status, and rural upbringing.
Based on a self-administered questionnaire, the FA index allows easy screening of elderly persons for declining functional competence.
This involves identification of the risk factors for whether a particular older adult experiences declining functional health.
21 Asakawa et al 6 noted an increase in depressive symptoms with declining functional ability, but it has also been discussed that preventing and treating depression in old age might reduce functional decline.
Other factors, such as an increasing burden from symptoms or losing a spouse or close friends, could have an even higher impact than declining functional ability on LS.
Older adults are the most sedentary segment of the population, potentially due to increased leisure time availability following retirement and declining functional capabilities [ 12, 13].
Consequently, patients enter a vicious circle of progressively increasing fatigue, dyspnoea and declining functional capacity to perform activities of daily living [ 17, 18].
