2018 Volume 22 Issue 2 Pages 88-96
Purpose: This study was conducted for the purpose of examining the intervention effects of a combination program for the prevention of home-visit care on the homebound elderly.
Method: Home visits and telephone intervention were conducted on four occasions with eight homebound elderly subjects using a combination program combining improvement of motor and oral function and improvement of nutritional status. The subjects were evaluated before and after intervention and three months after completion of intervention based on measurement of vital functions, self-efficacy with respect to going outside, mental health status, subjective health status and frequency of going out.
Results: Results for standing on one leg (left·right) with the eyes open as an indicator of motor function and a repetitive saliva swallowing test and oral diadochokinesis (/pa/·/ta/·/ka/) as indicators of oral function improved following intervention (p＜0.01), and oral diadochokinesis (/pa/·/ta/) also improved three months after completion of intervention (p＜0.05). Self-efficacy with respect to going outside (p＜0.05), mental health status (p＜0.05) and subjective health status (p＜0.01) improved following intervention. Frequency of going out increased in 5 of 8 of the subjects (62.5%), and that frequency was able to be maintained three months after completion of intervention. There were no significant changes in grip strength and BMI used to evaluate nutritional status after intervention.
Conclusion: Motor, oral functions and psychosocial aspects could be maintained and improved through intervention using a combination program for the prevention of home-visit care.
