Development of a new daily function checklist for older people to continue living in familiar community

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03364
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Sakuma Naoko 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (70152163)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 生活行動 / 住民調査 / 認知機能 / 自己評価

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We sought to examine necessary activities for older people to continue community-dwelling life even if living alone. To this end, we created a new checklist to investigate the frequency of activities of daily living. A total of 1,143 responded a questionnaire for rating their frequency of 33 daily activities in six areas (waking up, eating, housework, interacting with people, obtaining information about the world, and going to bed) on a five-point scale (ranging 4 [everyday] to 0 [never]). The total score of the 33 items' frequency was higher among women, and there were statistically significant differences by family composition. This suggests activities vary by roles within the home. However, the frequency of activities for safe living, such as turning off lights and locking doors, was high in those living alone, suggesting safe and secure living status may differ depending on family composition.

Free Research Field

老年心理学、公衆衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

独居高齢者や高齢者のみ世帯が増えている現代において，高齢者ができるだけ生活機能を維持し，住み慣れた地域で健康に自立して暮らす社会が望まれる．しかし、従来の生活機能評価は、主に能力（できるか否か）や自立の側面に焦点があり、実際の行動頻度の側面の評価法は確立されていなかった。本研究では，高齢者の「している」生活機能（行動頻度）を測る簡便な評価法を開発し、高齢者が自らの生活を点検し、持てる生活機能を維持するのに役立ちうる生活機能評価法を提案する点で意義がある．