[Functional improvement program of musculoskeletal system of the elderly in an isolated island of Kagoshima prefecture].
Under the coming amendment of long term care insurance (LTCI), the preventive activities will be more strengthened in order to ameliorate the quality of life (QOL) levels of the slightly frail elderly and then to rationalize the LTCI expenditures. The functional training of the musculoskeletal system is regarded as especially important. In order to validate its effectiveness and availability in a rural setting, we organized a physical fitness program for the slightly frail elderly in an isolated island of Kagoshima prefecture. According to the results of our preliminary study, statistically significant improvement was observed for some items of the physical fitness level, but not for life style, activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) levels or Frenchay Activities Index. In addition to the relatively small number of participants, it is thought that physical fitness training alone cannot increase the elderly activity volume. Further studies are necessary to clarify the usefulness of physical training on the ADL/IADL level of the elderly.
Yano
Junko
J
Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
Ibayashi
Haruhisa
H
Nishiyama
Tomohiro
T
Tanaka
Masayuki
M
Sato
Shigeo
S
Sakai
Kazuyo
K
Matsuda
Shinya
S
Kobayashi
Atsushi
A
Yakura
Naonori
N
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007353:Insurance, Long-Term Care; D007564:Japan; D009142:Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; D010809:Physical Fitness; D016730:Program Development / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012423:Rural Health; D012647:Self-Assessment