Eguchi K, Endou M, Okamura C T, Suzuki M, Tsuchiya S, Kano K, Onuki M, Fukuya Y
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tsukuba.
Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 1992 Oct;39(10):743-57.
An interview survey was held with the purpose of grasping the problems faced by the home care elderly living in Koga city in Ibaraki prefecture. The subjects of the study were 100 cases who had been registered as elderly requiring home care in the municipality. The main results were as follows: (1) The most frequent underlying disorders that were considered as causes of disabilities in the home care elderly were cerebrovascular diseases, senile dementia and external injuries. In 67 percent of the subjects, one of these three disorders had caused the disabilities. (2) Disabilities in self care activities and in mobility were closely related to each other and the order of the difficulty in performing these activities was similar in many cases. A large number of the subjects sustaining severe disabilities expressed discontent with their daily life. (3) Forty two percent of the subjects were so-called bedridden elderly who got out of bed for less than 3 hours a day. The Barthel index score was 60 or less in all of the bedridden subjects. (4) For most of the bedridden elderly, bed rest was not required and probably exacerbated the disuse syndrome. In order to ameliorate their condition, adequate rehabilitation programs and assistance in their daily activities need to be offered. (5) Seventy eight percent of the care givers complained about the burden of care. Those who had no assistant care giver complained more frequently. Many of the care givers complaining about their burden had their own health problems. (6) The utilization of social welfare services were not always without any problems. The number of the experts who can deal with the psychosocial aspects in the elderly should be increased in order to improve the situation.
