Assessment of independent living skills in geriatric populations

Independent living skills (ILS) assessment techniques, which originally grew out of the tradition of rehabilitation medicine, have been applied to geriatric populations. Over time, various assessment approaches have evolved, each with its own relative merits and drawbacks that the potential user should consider in choosing among instruments. Descriptions of selected ILS instruments are presented, along with a brief discussion of several current issues associated with ILS assessment of the elderly.