The purpose of this study is to explore the current state of social networks and the current participation in social activities of the elderly, and to clarify the relationship between social factors and self-rated health in the urban-suburban context. The study subjects were independently living elderly people who live in two areas, urban and suburban area, and the self-reported survey data was collected through mailed questionnaire. The measure of social activities was constructed from three aspects: personal activities, socially-related activities, and learning activities.
The suburban area indicated stronger social networks and a lower frequency of going outdoors than the urban area. In the case of social activities of the elderly, aspect of personal activities indicated highest score than aspects of socially-related activities or learning activities. The most common activity was hobby activity among socially-related activities, going shopping among personal activities and participation in community workshop among learning activities. It was different properties between two areas depending on contents of social activity. The suburban elderly as compared to the rural elderly were significantly more likely to have relationship with neighbors. The rural elderly were significantly more participation in community workshop than suburban elderly. Partial rank correlation coefficients between social activities and social network or frequency of going outdoors were relatively high. Self-rated health was positively associated with frequency of going outdoors and personal activities.
Although trend in degrees of frequency of going outdoors or social network were different in the suburbs and the urban area, there was interrelated with social activities.
To promote social activity in the community, it might be effective to use social network or place to go out frequently by providing information in activities. Our results were also suggested that the boost of outdoor activity, especially personal activities might be beneficial to self-rated health in the community-dwelling elderly.

View full abstract

[Purpose] This study divides subjects into good motor function vs. poor motor function groups, then compares fall-related factors of the two groups. [Subjects] The subjects were 78 elderly outpatients and day-rehabilitation service users who visited the clinic for rehabilitation medicine (78.6±4.8 years). [Methods] Subjects were evaluated using Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Knee Extension Strength test, Modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT), and vibration sensing, then monitored for one year after the assessments to learn whether they experienced falls. Logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify fall-related factors using the various test results as independent variables. The subjects were also divided into two groups-a good motor function group and a poor motor function group-based on the results of the TUG test, and fall-related factors were derived for the two groups using the same procedure described above. [Results] The logistic regression results revealed that mFRT and vibration sensing were significant fall-related factors for all subjects, vibration sensing was a significant factor for the good motor function group, and the Knee Extension Strength test and mFRT were significant factors for the poor motor function group. [Conclusions] Various factors affect the incidence of falls in older adults, but our findings suggest that fall risk assessment accuracy can be improved by focusing on vibration sensing for those with good motor function while several tests may be required for those with poor motor function.

View full abstract

The purpose of this pilot observational study is to clarify the relationship between the hot environment of a long pile artificial turf and dehydration of soccer players.
The study was carried out on the Setagaya campus field of Tokyo University of Agriculture with long pile artificial turf (hereinafter referred to as artificial turf) during the period from August 15, 2012 to October 26, 2012. Measurements were conducted every day when it was not raining and were cancelled when it rained. Measurements were taken a total of 30 times: 12 times in August, 10 times in September, and 8 times in October.
The following items were measured:
1. The surface temperature of the artificial turf;
2. The temperature, humidity and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) at a height of 50 cm and 160 cm above the artificial turf;
3. The difference in body weight (the amount of dehydration).
The surface temperature of the artificial turf during the day in the summer in Tokyo was usually greater than 60°C. In addition, those days when the WBGT was 31°C or higher, which meant there should be in principle cessation of exercise, accounted for about half of the total, which was greater than the observed record in Tokyo. There was a significant positive correlation between the surface temperature of the artificial turf, the WBGT, and the amount of dehydration.
The amount of perspiration and the amount of dehydration increased as the temperature increased when exercising on the artificial turf in the summer. Therefore, it is necessary to promote heat acclimatization while monitoring the WBGT. Also, the results suggested that there is a need for more frequent hydration and for measures to prevent low-temperature burn on the soles of the feet when the temperature is high.

View full abstract

We have made elderly people health-promotion practice using indoor swimming pool for 13 years. The purpose of this activity was to make sure the elderly people, who live in Komagane City or other town or village in Kami-Ina district, the healthy life of high quality. In this report the activities of around 13 years are discussed.
The water exercise class has been held 3 times a month with 2 to 4 attendants of investigators of this project. These classes have been conducted by the professional instructor.
From 1998 to 2011, 69 males and 319 females have attended our class totally. In 1994, the first year of this project, the number of attendants of the class was 38, whereas in 2003, when 4 classes were prepared for the attendants, the number increased to over 100, and after that about 120 people have attended every year. The average attendant number of one day practice was about 63.7. The average age of attendants was 76.0 (male) and 68.8 (female) in 1994, whereas in 2011, 77.9 (male) and 74.0 (female) respectively. The average age of beginning the water exercise was 72.9 for male and 69.9 for female. About 70% of present attendants have continued the exercise for more than 2 years. Almost all of them stated their impression of water exercise class as “very joyful experience”, “the therapeutic effects of backache”, “the increase of the good rhythm in daily life” and “decrease of stresses and increase of good friendships”.

View full abstract