Clustering the Sedentary Behavior of Elderly Requiring Care at Home and the Characteristics of Functioning

: An Attempt by Using Sedentary Behavior Bout

Abstract

This research aimed to cluster the sedentary behavior of the elderly requiring home-care by using sedentary behavior bout, which means continuous sedentary behavior, and the characteristics of functioning by these clusters. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on the physical activity and functioning of the elderly who require care and use home-visit rehabilitation. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted based on the total time of sedentary behavior and three types of the sedentary bout: less than 30 minutes, 30 to 59 minutes, and more than 60 minutes. The results showed that there were three groups: the prolonged sedentary group, which had more sedentary time in the bout of more than 60 minutes and less in the bout of less than 30 minutes; the short sedentary group, which contrasted with the prolonged sedentary group; and the intermediate sedentary group. The individuals in the prolonged sedentary group showed lower gait ability, applied ADL, and lower tendency in ADL than the other groups. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in functioning between individuals in the short and intermediate sedentary groups. The sedentary bouts can categorize the characteristics of sedentary behavior of the elderly requiring care, and some elderly showed sedentary behavior that is hard to explain based only on their functioning.