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Objectives: To identify the specific bathing subtasks that are affected in community‐living‐older persons with bathing disability and to determine the self‐reported reasons for bathing disability.

Design: Cross‐sectional study.

Setting: General community of greater New Haven, Connecticut.

Participants: A total of 626 community‐living persons, aged 73 and older, who completed a comprehensive assessment, including a detailed evaluation of bathing disability.

Measurements: Trained research nurses assessed bathing disability (defined as requiring personal assistance or having difficulty washing and drying the whole body), the specific bathing subtasks that were affected, and the main reasons (up to three) for bathing disability.

Results: Disability in bathing was present in 195 (31%) participants; of these, 97 required personal assistance (i.e., dependence), and 98 had difficulty bathing. Participants with bathing …