Laying the Foundation for Developing an Item Bank Measuring Presby-function Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Objectives. The aim of this study is to identify a generic ICF item bank to capture health-related functioning for normal community-dwelling older individuals, thereby facilitating primary care and multidisciplinary medical management. Methods. Initially, the relevant ICF Core Sets pertaining to five fundamental functioning abilities (vision, hearing, speech-language, walking and movement, and cognition) were identified and matched with corresponding functional properties. Subsequently, the ICF categories were extracted from the existing geriatric ICF Core Sets. These categories were then combined to form a candidate item bank. Finally, a consensus meeting was conducted to determine the final categories of the ICF item bank for the older population. Results. The development of the senior-specific ICF item bank involved integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies and expert opinions through a consensus process. The resulting item bank comprises 161 categories (58 on body functions, 15 on body structures, 60 on activities or participation, and 28 on environmental factors). Conclusions. This senior-specific item bank provides a comprehensive description of presby-functioning within a community-based or home-based setting.