AN INTER VENTION FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL PARTICIPATION FOR THE COMMUNITY DWELLING ELDERLY

本研究的目的是检验社区老年人计划对改善老年人生活质量的有效性。该项目是在冲绳浦濑市的七个社区中心每月免费提供一次的聚会午餐和娱乐活动。参与者是大约800名社区居住的老人，他们自愿接受了这个项目。该计划于1992年在三菱基金会的财政支持下启动，但随后在1995年和1996年进行了为期两年的科学研究补助金。以1991年访谈调查结果为基准数据。采用东京都老年学研究所的能力量表和生活满意度指数K来比较参与者和非参与者的结果。结果表明，研究对象的能力随年龄增长而下降，但与非研究对象相比，研究对象的能力水平下降非常缓慢。研究对象与非研究对象的生活满意度无显著差异，但差异有所扩大。综上所述，集合午餐和娱乐的干预方案对维持社区老年人的能力是有效的。研究结果显示，社区参与有助长者维持能力。在生活满意度方面没有观察到明显的影响，然而，随着观察期的延长，可能会有效果。

The purpose of this study was to examine effectiveness of the community program for the aged to improve their quality of life. The programs were congregated luncheon and recreation which were offered once a month without charge at seven community centers in Urasoe City, Okinawa. The participants were about 800 community dewelling elderly, who accepted the program voluntarily. This program was initiated in 1992 with financial support of the Mitsubishi Foundation, but followed by the Grants-In-Aid Scientific Research for two years in 1995 and 1996. Results of interview survey in 1991 were used as a baseline data. The competence measured by the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Scale and Life Satisfaction Index K were used to compare the results among participants and non participants.As a result, competence has decreased according to aging, however, level of competence of the participants had decreasing very slowly compared to non-participants. No significant difference was observed in life satisfaction, but, the difference between the participants and non-participants has expanded.In conclusion, the intervention program of congregated luncheon and recreation were effective to maintain the competence for the aged in the community. This finding suggests that community participation will be effective for the aged to maintain their competence. No clear effects were observed in life satisfaction, however, effectiveness may be expected when observation period extended longer.