Preventive role of social support and networks for the elderly with pre-dementia status and declined ADL/depression -Cohort Study of the elderly in a large city, an ex-coal-mining town and a rural area

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Recent scientific research has established strong empirical evidence for a causal impact of social relationships on the health of the elderly. From 1991, we have studied the relationship between health and the social relationships of the elderly, in three cohorts in Hokkaido prefecture. The purpose of this study is to ascertain if daily activities, and social support networks were related to sustaining active lives among the elderly. The population for this study comprised of 653 elderly persons who, in 1992, had lived in Takasu, in Hokkaido, and who had participated in our longitudinal study. After six years follow-up, 437 of 653 persons were defined as "extended active" in the community. Persons who were defined as "active life loss" included, 109 dead, 12 institutionalized, 15 admitted in hospitals for over three months, and 70 persons dependent in daily activities living in the community. Multiple logistic analysis showed that among men, adjusting all potential confounders, "not going far away by himself", "not putting snow away", "lower social participation", "age", and "history of hospital admission" were significantly related to "active life loss". Among women, "not cleaning up rooms by themselves", "not going far away by themselves", "not being married", "lower self-rated health" and "visual disfunction" were significant risk factors for "active life loss". These results suggest that in order to sustain active lives among the elderly, community care systems should pay attention not only to predicting diseases, but also to maintaining daily activities and to confirming a social network for the elderly.