A new approach to assessing function in elderly people.

Current functional assessment methods and measures of elderly people are limited in their ability to detect small decrements in function or in discriminating between different patterns of functional loss. Nor do they directly assess function in the patient's usual environment. Recent technological advances have led to the development of small, wearable microelectronic devices that detect motion, velocity and acceleration. These devices can be used to develop new tools for more precise monitoring, assessment, and prediction of function by characterizing the 'electronic signatures' of successful or unsuccessful task-specific performance, and to allow for continuous assessment in a home environment. This presentation will summarize current efforts to translate new technologies into a clinical and research tool for improved assessment, monitoring, and prediction of function among older individuals.