ASSESSING QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN ALZHEIMER-DISEASE RESEARCH

Quality of life (QOL) is defined both conceptually and operationally i n terms of essential characteristics of evaluational stance, multidime nsionality, and subjective-versus-objective aspects. Necessary dimensi ons for QOL assessment include both subjective and objective component s, specifically attributes falling into sectors of behavioral competen ce, self-assessed quality of domains of everyday life, environment, an d generalized psychological well-being. None of these QOL facets shoul d be excluded from assessment in people with dementia, but many such p eople require the use of indicators that do not depend on self-report. Existing measures and assessment techniques are discussed as grouped into attribute ratings (single ratings provided by someone who observe s the person over some extended period of time) and direct observation al methods (only behavior as it is observed in ongoing fashion). Attri bute ratings are the domains of time use quality, social interaction, and affect states, and direct observation in domains of behavior, affe ct display, and environmental quality are discussed.