This study focused on the “kids these days effect” as ageism from older adults to the young. The hypothesis was verified by older adults in their 70s that they have a more positive image of “young people of the past,” followed by “young people in general,” and then “young people these days.” As a result of measuring the images using semantic differential method, there was no difference between the images in the overall evaluation of “good-bad.” Factor analysis revealed that older people evaluate the image of young people from two aspects: “Potency and Activity,” which evaluates their overall impression of young people, and “Evaluation,” which evaluates social norms. This study revealed that older people evaluate young people of the past more positively than other young people in the “Evaluation” aspect. A bias in which young people of the past are always evaluated positively was confirmed, partially supporting the hypothesis. It has been suggested that kids these days effect does not result from an absolute negative evaluation of young people these days, but rather from a relative difference with the evaluation of young people of the past, which are a projection of older adults’ current selves.

The purpose of this study was to compare olfactory and daily living functions in older adults with dementia admitted to a psychiatric hospital and identify characteristics by severity. Olfactory function（OE）, grip strength, walking speed, dementia severity, cognitive function, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia（BPSD）, activities of daily living（ADL）, and instrumental ADL（IADL）were assessed. Participants were divided into a mild group（10 patients）and a moderate/severe group（14 patients）. The results showed that the moderate-severe group had significantly lower percentages of correct responses to OE and subtests（menthol and curry）, cognitive function, and IADL than the mild group, and significantly higher BPSD than the mild group. The discrepancy between correct and subjective response rates in OE subitems was twice as large in the mild group and 3.6 times larger in the moderate/severe group, reflecting severity progression. These results suggest that the decline in olfactory function and the increasing discrepancy between correct answers and subjective awareness may negatively impact cognitive and daily living functions as dementia severity increases.

This study aimed to clarify the challenges and strategies for sustainable operation by analyzing the management of the K Club, a senior citizens’ club in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture, which doubled its membership between 2015 and 2023, achieving both revitalization and sustainability. The research focused on the club’s operations from 2009 to 2023 and employed a mixed-method approach. Data were collected through interviews with members, archival research, and participant observation. Qualitative data underwent reflexive thematic analysis, while quantitative data were assessed using descriptive statistics. The study identified four key strategies for sustainable operation:（1）Adaptive leadership,（2）Next-Generation Succession-Based Management,（3）Flexible organizational management, and（4）Community co-creation and empathy platform. While upholding independent perspectives, these strategies are closely interrelated and contribute together to the organization’s revitalization and sustainability. Furthermore, these strategies not only facilitate the sustainable operation of senior citizens’ clubs but also significantly promote social participation among older adults and foster regional revitalization.

This study investigated whether future time perspective（FTP）is related to mental health mediated by gratitude distinguished by the object in old age. We conducted a web-based survey on 200 adults（100 men and 100 women, age range 60–79）. Mediation analyses were conducted with FTP as the independent variable, four categories of object-specific gratitude（concrete interpersonal, abstract interpersonal, concrete non-interpersonal, abstract non-interpersonal）as the mediation variables, and mental health as the dependent variable. The results indicated that gratitude to a wide variety of objects mediated the relation between “focus on opportunities”, which is a component of FTP, and mental health. These Results suggest that people perceive that there are many opportunities and possibilities left in their future even at an older age tend to experience gratitude to a variety of objects, and gratitude to such a variety of objects lead to higher level of mental health.

This study aimed to examine the direct effect of age discrimination in the workplace on the intention to quit among middle-aged and older workers, excluding executives and company directors, as well as the mitigating effects of work engagement and mental health. This survey utilized the online questionnaire tools Freeasy and Freeasy24, operated by iBridge Corporation, targeting men and women aged 50 to 99 across various occupations and employment types, excluding executives and company directors, in accordance with the research objectives. The analysis was conducted on valid responses from 300 participants, with no missing data. Analysis was performed using PROCESS macro model 6 in SPSS 28. The results showed that the direct effect of age discrimination（.15）on the intention to quit was significant, but the intention to quit was also suppressed through the indirect effect（.02, p < .05）via work engagement and depressive tendencies. These findings suggest that maintaining work engagement contributes to mental health and may mitigate the intention to quit caused by age discrimination.

To investigate the relationship between oral diadochokinesis and physical fitness（Fitness Age Score: FAS）in older adults, ｗe conducted a survey with 331 older adult participants during a physical fitness measurement session, which included tests of physical fitness and oral function and their assessment using Kihon Checklist. According to Kihon Checklist, 12.7% of men and 13.8% of women were judged to be frail, and the oral diadochokinesis test showed that 64.8% of men and 43.1% of women had reduced tongue and lip motor function due to oral diadochokinesis. Analyses showed that FAS was independently associated with oral diadochokinesis, even when the effects of confounding factors such as sex, age, numbrer of remaining teeth, and tongue pressure were removed. These results suggest that there is some relationship between tongue and lip motor function and physical fitness, and that measures to maintain oral function and physical fitness（e.g., exercise, diet, and other lifestyle habits）have much in common.

Lack of interaction with their surroundings is a concern for older adults. It has been noted that it is often difficult for them to ask for help when faced with difficulties. In recent years, social networking services（SNS）have facilitated communication with many people, and among older adults, LINE is the most widely used. This study examined the relationship between the use of LINE and help-seeking behaviors. In this study, 181 older people（M = 71.91, aged 65-92 years）were included in the analysis. The results indicated that older adults who interacted daily on LINE were more likely to seek help. However, no relationship was found between the frequency of viewing information on LINE and help-seeking behavior. As a message-focused SNS, LINE may be bringing an easy way for older adults to interact with their surroundings. Therefore, older adults who regularly use LINE and have developed the habit of exchanging messages are likely to be less hesitant to ask for help.

Kayoi-no-ba promotes community-based integrated care and inclusive societies. It's crucial to distinguish "Ibasho," a key community resource reflecting residents' varied preferences. While "Ibasho" was categorized as Type 0 in "Kayoino-ba," its definitions, categorizations, and the roles of administration and supporters remain unclear. In 2022, with a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, a research project was launched on "Ibasho" for older people. The committee, including institute researchers and external experts, defined "Ibasho" as ""an activity or place where one can feel comfort, security, satisfaction, self-fulfillment, and enjoyment by being present or belonging to it". They created a typology, classifying "Ibasho" into Types I to III of "Kayoino-ba," Type 0-a for individual activities or spaces, and Type 0-b for activities or spaces with diverse resident connections. Utilizing this typology is believed to lead to a better understanding and creation of new social participation options for residents.

This study reviewed prior research on the concept of ‘jiritsu’ in Japan and China, highlighting similarities and differences and proposing a framework that includes elements of both concepts of ‘jiritsu’. While ‘jiritsu’ support is emphasized in Japanese long-term care, it is less well understood in China, possibly due to differences in how the concept of ‘jiritsu’ is interpreted in the two countries.

The literature review identified five key elements of ‘jiritsu’:（1）performing tasks independently,（2）maximizing one’s abilities,（3）fulfilling social roles,（4）receiving necessary support, and（5）making autonomous choices and decisions.

Based on the five elements, future studies will examine why ‘jiritsu’ support is less accepted in China and suggest suitable care strategies.