Abstract
Taking a village with an aging society like Kitamimaki as an example, mobility and balance ability along with relating factors of a farming village elderly were examined.
A measurement of figure, balance ability, and Good Walker's Index (Kenkyakudo) as a measure of mobility was taken from 786 citizens above the age of 65. Moreover, a survey was taken on exercise habits, frequency of falls, and fear of falls. On each topic, the data was classified by sex and age, for it to be examined in relation to age and how mobility and balance ability factors relate to the other measurements.
As a result, change in relation to aging was found in both men's and women's mobility and balance ability measurement, which suggests its effectiveness as a measuring/evaluating method for the decline in lower limbs function due to aging. As for the items related to the decline in the mobility and the balance ability, exercise habits needed more consideration with general physical activities in everyday life. It was pointed out that although the number of falls is an important factor, it is equally essential to consider the susceptibility subject to an environment that causes falls (hours of activity in daily life). Active people are more likely to fall than inactive people. Furthermore, it was also pointed out that the fear of falling relates to motion and balance ability.
