Exploring trajectories of functional decline and recovery among older adults: a data-driven approach

Independently performing activities of daily living (ADLs) is vital for maintaining one’s quality of life. Losing this ability can significantly impact an individual’s overall health status, including their mental health and social well-being. Aging is an important factor contributing to the loss of ADL abilities, and our study focuses on investigating the trajectories of functional decline and recovery in older adults. Employing trajectory analytics methodologies, this research delves into the intricate dynamics of ADL pathways, unveiling their complexity, diversity, and inherent characteristics. The study leverages a substantial dataset encompassing ADL assessments of nursing home residents with diverse disability profiles in the United States. The investigation begins by transforming these assessments into sequences of disability combinations, followed by applying various statistical measures, indicators, and visual analytics. Valuable insights are gained into the typical disability states, transitions, and patterns over time. The results also indicate that while predicting the progression of ADL disabilities presents manageable challenges, the duration of these states proves more complicated. Our findings hold significant potential for improving healthcare decision-making by enabling clinicians to anticipate possible patterns, develop targeted and effective interventions that support older patients in preserving their independence, and enhance overall care quality.