THE STRUCTURE UNDERLYING PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE-MEASURES FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY

A 6-item physical performance test assessing hand strength/speed, mobi lity, and balance was administered to 678 elderly people from a Japane se community (age 65-89). A second-order covariance structure model ap plied to the data revealed that three factors in observed variables (H and Power, Walking, and Balance) had loadings more than 0.8 on a singl e higher-order factor, Basic Motor Ability (BMA). The BMA score, or '' Physical Performance Age (PPA)'', of the individual was calculated on the basis of this model as a undimensional summary score of physical p erformances. The PPA predicted the self-reported levels of competence and physical activity with greater accuracy than age alone, The PPA al so differentiated those at the high end of the functional spectrum, an d thereby not identifiable by use of ordinary self-reported Junctional measures. The results suggest that a short physical performance batte ry assessing physical functioning is useful in community-based studies of aging.