How the elderly utilizing in-home care services of the long-term care insurance system in Japan purchase foods and daily necessaries

本研究以随机抽样的方式，在全国范围内的养老机构中，对接受居家养老服务的老年人购买食品和生活必需品的行为进行了调查，并对1535名“需要照顾”的老年人和1067名帮助者的有效回答进行了分析。80%以上的老年人的购物依赖于帮手、其他家庭或与他们不住在一起的子女。只有20%的老年人自己去购物。一半的老人，他们的护理经理和助手，分别回答说，生活支持服务不足。依赖他人购物可能会导致衰老过程，阻碍身心的恢复。 在老年人中发挥作用。更重要的是增加老年人在助手陪同下自己购物的机会，以防止衰老，从而降低整体长期护理成本。

A fact finding survey investigation how elderly receiving in-home care services shopped for foods and daily necessaries was conducted using postal questionnaires distributed to care facilities nationwide that were randomly selected.Valid responses from 1535 "care required" elderlies and 1067 helpers were analyzed. More than 80% of the elderlies were depend on helpers, other households or their children with whom they didn't live, for their shopping. Only 20% of the elderlies went shopping by themselves. Half of the elderlies, their care-managers and helpers, respectively, responded that life support services were insufficient. Dependence on others for shopping may possibly contribute to the ageing process and prevent recovery of mental and physical functions in the elderly. Far more important is to increase the opportunity for the elderly to go shopping by themselves accompanied by a helper to prevent ageing and thus reduce overall long-term care costs.