Healthy cognitive aging and leisure activities among the oldest old in Japan: Takashima study.
BACKGROUND
Little is known regarding the normative levels of leisure activities among the oldest old and the factors that explain the age-associated decline in these activities.


METHODS
The sample included 303 cognitively intact community-dwelling elderly persons with no disability in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and minimal dependency in Instrumental ADL (IADL) in Shiga prefecture, Japan. We examined (i) the nature and frequency of leisure activities, comparing the oldest old versus younger age groups; (ii) factors that explain the age-associated differences in frequencies of engagement in these activities; and (iii) domain-specific cognitive functions associated with these activities, using three summary index scores: physical and nonphysical hobby indexes and social activity index.


RESULTS
The oldest old (85 years old or older) showed significantly lower frequency scores in all activity indexes, compared with the youngest old (age 65-74 years). Gait speed or overall mobility consistently explained the age-associated reduction in levels of activities among the oldest old, whereas vision or hearing impairment and depressive symptoms explained only the decline in social activity. Frequency of engagement in nonphysical hobbies was significantly associated with all cognitive domains examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowing the factors that explain age-associated decline in leisure activities can help in planning strategies for maintaining activity levels among elderly persons.
Dodge
Hiroko H
HH
Department of Public Health, College of Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97401, USA. dodge@ohsu.edu
Kita
Yoshikuni
Y
Takechi
Hajime
H
Hayakawa
Takehito
T
Ganguli
Mary
M
Ueshima
Hirotsugu
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male