Intrinsic capacity in the context of population health for older adults in Singapore

GERI's Role: GERI advanced the understanding of intrinsic capacity by providing and supporting comprehensive statistical analyses, and examined the relationship between intrinsic capacity and social participation.

Lead: Dr Charlene Lau Lay Khoon (Senior Research Fellow, GERI)

Age Well SG strand: Strengthen support for seniors with care needs in the community

Principal Investigator (PI): Professor Paulin Straughan (Director, Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA), Singapore Management University)

Site PI: Associate Professor Ding Yew Yoong, Executive Director and Lead Scientist, GERI

Gap: Intrinsic capacity captures the physical and mental capacities of an individual and represents the resources a person can tap into during his/her life, and there is currently a knowledge gap on how declines in intrinsic capacity affect older Singaporeans as they transition through the ageing process.

Solution: Together, ROSA and GERI studied intrinsic capacity of older adults in the Singapore Life Panel, to gain a better understanding of how individuals can flourish as one ages. The team conducted the construct development of five intrinsic capacity domains (cognition, locomotion, sensory function, vitality and psychological well-being) and subsequently examined its association with social participation, mediated by activities of daily living.

Anticipated Impact: Findings from the panel survey will provide insights into how Singaporeans fare as they age. GERI’s contributions have aided the development of a self-reported measure of intrinsic capacity. In addition, findings on the association between intrinsic capacity and social participation have been disseminated in a journal publication.

Duration: Dec 2021 to Dec 2024