Joan Toglia1, Orit Lahav2, Eynat Ben Ari3, Rachel Kizony4. 1. Joan Toglia, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is Dean, School of Health and Natural Sciences, Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY; jtoglia@mercy.edu. 2. Orit Lahav, PhD, OT, is Deputy Director, Occupational Therapy Department, Ono Academic College, Kiryat Ono, Israel. 3. Eynat Ben Ari, PhD, OTR, is Faculty, Department of Occupational Therapy, Steyer School of Health Professions, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 4. Rachel Kizony, PhD, OT, is Senior Lecturer, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, and Research Occupational Therapist, Department of Occupational Therapy, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We compared performance on a cognitively demanding task, the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity, of participants in three age groups and two countries (United States and Israel). METHOD: A sample of 375 U.S. and 433 Israeli healthy adults participated. During the activity, participants were observed for speed, accuracy, strategy use, and efficiency. RESULTS: Accuracy scores were similar in both countries; however, Israeli participants were slower and less efficient (p < .05). The younger and middle-aged Israeli groups were more strategic and the older Israeli group followed fewer rules than the corresponding U.S. groups (p < .05). Older participants in both countries were less accurate, efficient, and strategic than younger participants (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Limited strategy use and poor time allocation may contribute to difficulty managing cognitively demanding activities for older adults and may also be influenced by culture. Practitioners should consider these factors when screening people for occupational performance difficulties.
OBJECTIVE: We compared performance on a cognitively demanding task, the Weekly Calendar Planning Activity, of participants in three age groups and two countries (United States and Israel). METHOD: A sample of 375 U.S. and 433 Israeli healthy adults participated. During the activity, participants were observed for speed, accuracy, strategy use, and efficiency. RESULTS: Accuracy scores were similar in both countries; however, Israeli participants were slower and less efficient (p < .05). The younger and middle-aged Israeli groups were more strategic and the older Israeli group followed fewer rules than the corresponding U.S. groups (p < .05). Older participants in both countries were less accurate, efficient, and strategic than younger participants (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Limited strategy use and poor time allocation may contribute to difficulty managing cognitively demanding activities for older adults and may also be influenced by culture. Practitioners should consider these factors when screening people for occupational performance difficulties.