Development of a support program for preventing dementia and the need for nursing care among elderly people with hearing impairment

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26671018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Gerontological nursing
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI YACHIYO 大阪市立大学, 大学院看護学研究科, 准教授 (10382243)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 地域在住高齢者 / 認知機能 / 聴力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A cohort study was conducted to examine the relationship between cognitive function and hearing among elderly people living in the community. Baseline and one-year follow-up survey were conducted for both a study of elderly people with nursing care needs who received day-care nursing services in urban areas and a study of elderly people on a remote island, and there was no significant association between hearing and cognitive function decline. For the baseline assessment conducted on the remote island, elderly people with moderate to severe hearing impairment were extracted and home-visit interviews of their living conditions were conducted. While the subjects acknowledged declines in cognitive function, there were not many complaints about lifestyle-related difficulties due to hearing loss, and they were living with the assistance of informal support.

Free Research Field

老年看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の対象者はデイケアや認知機能検査などの調査に参加するなど、健康意識が高い高齢者であると推測され、健康意識の高い難聴高齢者はさまざまな活動に参加することで、認知機能を維持できる可能性が示唆された。
また、補聴器調整などのサービスにアクセスしにくい離島における難聴高齢者の生活に焦点を当てた研究は少なく、本研究では、ソーシャルキャピタルと中重度難聴高齢者の生活困難感との関連が示唆されたため、都市部を含め、さらなる研究結果の蓄積が必要である。