Abstract
Successful initiatives in improvement of oral function include few reports of programs based on regional characteristics. The present study aimed to elucidate whether the elderly living in the community in a snowy and cold district would engage with an oral function improvement program using tablet technology. The subjects comprised 24 elderly（12 men, 12 women, aged 66 to 81 years old）living independently in the snowy and cold district of Minami Ward, Sapporo. A structured interview survey was conducted before and after a 5-week trial of seven oral function improvement movies delivered by tablet technology during a snowy period. None of the subjects had previously used tablet terminals. The oral function improvement program was activated by half of the subjects more than 6 days a week, although one subject used it for only 8 days during the study. The application was activated about 2 to 2.5 times per person per day. The interview survey revealed the majority of subjects continuously activated the application and wished to continue with the program. This study suggests that independent elderly living in the community in a snowy and cold district could continuously engage with an oral function improvement program using tablet technology.
