Abstract
Purpose: This study examines the effectiveness of the pre-post intervention test of community support programs that aim to prevent the social isolation of the elderly. Method: The program was implemented with the participation of 143 community volunteers in a suburban city, Osaka. The program included: 1) home visits: participants visited the elderly in the community; 2) network meetings: after home visits, participants discussed the individuals who were at risk for social isolation; and 3) mastering skills: participants learned how to support the elderly living in the community. The data were collected by questionnaire before and after intervention. Primary outcomes were Community Commitment (CC), and Self-Efficacy Scale for Preventing Social isolation among community-dwelling elders (SES-PS ('Mimamori'Scale)). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Results: 100 out of 143 participants completed questionnaires. Scores between pre-post programs were significantly improved for community commitment. Moreover, there was a significant improvement in the self-efficacy of the prevention of social isolation among the elderly. The level of the interest in elderly people to be supported increased significantly. Conclusion: It was observed that the community support program had a positive influence for improving self-efficacy with the aim of preventing social isolation among the elderly. It also had a positive influence on community commitment. Community support volunteers confirmed the effect of this program.
