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The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences Advance Access originally published online on July 23, 2009
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2009 64A(11):1169-1171; doi:10.1093/gerona/glp094
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Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America 2009.

The Challenge of Understanding the Disablement Process in Older Persons

Commentary Responding to Jette AM. Toward a Common Language of Disablement

Jack M. Guralnik1 and Luigi Ferrucci2

1 Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
2 Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Address correspondence to Jack M. Guralnik, MD, PhD, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography and Biometry, National Institute on Aging, 7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 3C-309, Bethesda, MD 20892. Email: jack.guralnik@nih.gov

Received: May 25, 2009; Accepted: May 25, 2009
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DISABILITY is caused by a diverse set of conditions and diseases and can affect people across the full age spectrum. Understanding the development of disability, the impact of disability on the individual and ways to both prevent disability and mitigate the impact of disability on quality of life are high priorities. But disability is a complex and challenging process to study, especially when it develops over years or decades. Researchers who study disability face many challenges and need all the help we can give them. A key tool to support this research is a simple, clear model to help examine steps along the pathway to disability. Such a model should provide measurable concepts along the pathway that are unambiguously operationalized. This approach is critical to making discoveries that can turn into useful interventions.

In this issue of the Journal, Dr Jette, a leader in this field, presents a thorough . . . [Full Text of this Article]


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