Timed Up and Go (TUG) Predicts Changes in the Kihon Checklist After Six Months of Continuous Participation in "Kayoinoba" (Community Gathering Places).

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to predict frailty in older adults participating in community-based gatherings in a local city over a six-month period.　 Methods: In total, 257 older community members participated in this study. The Kihon Checklist (KCL) was used to assess life function. The KCL consists of 25 items, each scored as 0 or 1 point, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 25. Higher scores indicate a greater risk of requiring long-term care. The items cover six domains: physical function, nutritional status, oral function, social engagement, cognitive function, and depressive mood. For motor function assessment, the Timed Up and Go (TUG), one-leg standing, and 30-second chair-stand (CS-30) tests were used.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the effects of age, gender, and motor function on the KCL after six months. The regression formula was set as: KCL after six months (points) = first TUG (seconds) * 0.29 + first KCL (points) * 0.67 - 0.99. The model demonstrated moderate to strong predictive accuracy (adjusted R² = 0.53, root mean squared error (RMSE) = 1.74, mean absolute error (MAE) = 1.34).

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that TUG could serve as an indicator for older adults participating in community-based gatherings in a local city, implementing our program, and improving the KCL.