Keeping older people active at home

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the daily activities that elderly individuals usually perform at home. The subjects were 42 elderly individuals who were hospitalized or visited a hospital or an affiliated day care center, could walk independently, and did not experience cognitive decline. A questionnaire was used to prioritize their activities of daily living. Each was asked to rank 1 8 outdoor and 1 8 indoor "activities they usually do most often" from 1 to 5 . Hair styling ranked first for both men and women. Thereafter, men ranked garden activities first, whereas women ranked indoor activities first. Significant differences in priorities were noted between the men and women. The highest priority activities were gardening for men and housework for women, suggesting that guidance that considers the gender roles and living environments of the target population may be required to encourage them to remain active at home.