Table 2.
Outcome measures
| Domain (composites) | Variables | Psychometric tests or ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive function | Speed of information processing | Number connection test (NC-G), Maze test (MT-G), Digit symbol substitution test (DS-G) (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) |
| Attention | Alters-Konzentrations-Test (Aging concentration test, Gatterer 1990), Color word test (CWT-G) (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) | |
| Primary memory | Memory span (MS-G), Sentence test (ST) (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) | |
| Secondary memory | Picture test (PT), Figure test (FT), Word list (WL), Word pairs (WP) (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) | |
| Long term memory | Information (WAIS-Info) (Wechsler adult intelligence scale, German version), Word fluency (Leistungsprüfsystem LPS, Horn 1983) | |
| Reasoning | Similarities (WAIS-Sim) (Wechsler adult intelligence scale, German version; Wechsler 1981) | |
| Cognitive impairment | Interviewer rating (Sandoz clinical assessment geriatrics SCAG; Shader et al. 1974) | |
| Physical function | Coordination | Modified KTK-test (physical coordination test) |
| Flexibility (trunk and shoulder) | Bending forward and sideward, arm-lifting test | |
| Rhythm | Knocking test with coordination of leg and arm | |
| Adaptability | Table-tennis-accuracy-test | |
| Readjustment to a moving object | Table-tennis juggle test | |
| Agility/endurance | Walk/run through a course with different tasks | |
| Strength | Handgrip test | |
| Emotional status | Depression | Self rating (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale SDS; Zung 1965) |
| Independent living | Participant’s self-rating of independent living | Rating on an analogue scale from “completely independent” to “completely dependent” regarding the question: “Imagine you would rate your independence on a scale from ‘0’ to ‘100’. ‘100’ means that you don’t need any help in your daily living; ‘0’ means that you need help in every daily activity (e.g. doing the buying, cooking, financial matter)”. |
| Interviewer rating of independent living | Rating on a analogue scale from “completely dependent” (0, i.e. needs help in every daily activity) to “completely independent” (100, i.e. doesn’t need anly help in daily activities) | |
| Use of health-care services | Self-administered questionnaire regarding use of “meals on wheels”, nursing care at home, other paid services | |
| Everyday competence | Interviewer rating of the participant’s coping with age-related problems | Rating based on interview questions |
| Health status | Objective health | Clinical assessment of organ functions (e.g. cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the respiratory system, diseases of the digestive tract, diseases of the joints, neurological symptoms, hearing loss, impaired vision, hand grip), laboratory tests (e.g. blood count, cholesterol level) |
| Subjective health | Self-rating of perceived health | |
| Well-being | Subjective aging | Self-rating questionnaire: neuropsychological symptom list NSL-S (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006), 20 items regarding subjective age-related problems and limitations in neuropsychological and everyday functions, e.g. experiencing reduced cognitive functions, loss of physical energy, loss of social contacts) |
| Quality of life | Self-rating questionnaire: Neuropsychological assessment of life quality NLQ-S (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) | |
| General well-being | Self-rating questionnaire: Neuropsychological assessment of subjective well-being NSW-S (Neuropsychological aging inventory NAI; Oswald and Fleischmann 2006) |