Clarifying the disablement process in later life and evaluation of a community-based intervention program for retarding aging process

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This project aimed at clarifying the disablement process in community older population by longitudinal studies and evaluating the anti-aging program of improving nutrition and physical activity among older people by a community-based intervention. Main results were the following three points. First, we examined the predictors for BADL and IADL disability using 6-year prospective data on 601 initially non-disabled older people. Predictors for BADL disability included medical and physical factors, while those for IADL disability included psychosocial factors as well as physical factors. Common predictors both for BADL and IADL were age, occupation, sleep hours, self-rated health, Intellectual Activity and Social Roles, fitness such as walking ability, chewing ability, history of hospital admission, and serum β_2-microglobulin level. Second, we examined the effects of different types (type 1 and 2) of homeboundness on functional changes and predictors for the onset of each types of homebo … More undness using 2-year prospective data on 1,544 community-living older people. Adjusted relative risk of type 2 homeboundness was 2.30 (95% CI,1.14-4.61) for developing mobility loss, 2.85 (1.20-6.82) for IADL disability, 1.63 (0.87-3.06) for ADL disability, and 3.05 (1.06-8.78) for cognitive impairment. Predictors for the onset of type 1 homeboundness were mainly physical and psychological factors (walking ability, cognition, etc.), while those for type 2 homeboundness were mainly psychosocial factors (social network, cognition, etc.). Third, one-year community-based intervention using the anti-aging program yielded an improvement of nutritional state and physical activity among 1,400 community-living older people ; age-associated decrement in walking speed, serum albumin level and depressive mood were improved in the intervention period and intensive intervention group. All together, we conclude that functional state in later life were significantly affected by age-associated decline in physical and mental function as well as homebound state ; however, these changes could be improved even in later life by adoption of an appropriate program for life-style modification. Less