| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YUKAWA Harumi Kokugakuin University, Associate Professor, 家政学科, 助教授 (00260307)
SUZUKI Takao Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Research on Aging and Promotion of Human Welfare, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Vice Director, 福祉振興財団・東京都老人総合研究所・疫学・福祉・政策研究グループ, 副所長 (30154545)
YOSHIDA Hideyo Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Research on Aging and Promotion of Human Welfare, Epidemiology and Health Promotion, Research Scientist, 福祉振興財団・東京都老人総合研究所・疫学・福祉・政策研究グループ, 主任研究員 (00242735)
TAKESHIMA Nobuo Nagoya City University, Associate Professor, 自然科学研究センター, 助教授 (00137126)
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to clarify the exercise habits, self-rated functional fitness, activities of daily living (ADL) and fear of falling in community-dwelling elderly who are classified as frail by eligibility decision process of the Japanese long-term care insurance system.
The subjects who aged were 75 years and older, classified into frail elderly group (n=126; ma1e=29,female=97) and healthy elderly group (n=262; male=114,female=148). We had carried out an interview survey using questionnaire asking about exercise habits, self-rated functional fitness, ADL, fear of falling and activity curtailment. The survey was carried out by door-to-door method and data were collected from November to December 2000.
Respondent who answered no practice exercise was higher in the frail group than in the healthy group. Among the self-rated functional fitness items, endurance, muscular strength and flexibility were comparatively low in the frail group. The rate of basic ADL dependence was higher in bathing (male=65.5%, female=84.5%) and walking (male=72.4%, female=79.4%), for both sexes of the frail group. Also, the rate of instrumental ADL dependence was much higher in the frail group than in the healthy group. The 93.1% in male and 93.8% in female among frail elderly had fear of falling. Of those who are afraid, 66.7% in male and 60.4% in female had curtailed from going out due to this fear.
Our findings suggest that an intervention programs is needed to improve bathing and walking ability as well as social support for the frail elderly. Self-rated fear of falling was significantly associated with activity curtailment in frail elderly.
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