在宅高齢者のADLと歩行機能の年代比較

The Comparison in Age on the Activities of Daily Living and the Ability to Walk of Aged People at Home

　本研究ではK老人クラブに所属している67名を対象に高齢者の年代による変化をActivities of Daily Living（ADL）と歩行機能との関連から分析した．結果，ADLの総合得点は年齢が高くなるにつれて低くなった．老研式ADLの因子分析の結果では，手段的自立，知的能動性，事務的能力の三因子に分かれた．各因子と性別，年齢階級との関連をみると，女性では手段的自立の通過率が最も高い．男性では事務的能力が高く，80歳以上になっても維持されていた．

　歩行機能についてみると歩幅は60歳代と80歳代では，10cm程度も差があり，高齢になるにつれて狭くなった。性別では70歳以降になると女性の歩幅は男性より狭くなった．歩数は年齢が上昇するにつれて少なくなり，80歳を越えると顕著に低下し，運動不足の生活になりやすい．意識して歩くことが一定以上の歩数を維持することになり，入眠しやすくなり，運動不足を解消し，足からの衰えを防ぎ，結果としてADLの低下の予防になると結論を得た．

　In this research a comparison in age on the activities of daily living(ADL)and the ability to walk was analyzed on 67 aged people who belonged to the K old people's culb. As a result, total score of ADL became lower as age was higher. Three factors : instrumental self maintenance, intellectual activities and ability to deal with practical matters resulted from factor analysis of ADL by Rouken. Moreover a correlation between each factor and sex, age group showed the highest passing rate of Instrumental self maintenance regarding women; the highest passing rate of ability to deal with practical matters regarding men and it could be maintainded even among those who were more than 80 years old. There was difference of about 10cm in step between the sixties and the eighties and the step became shorter as age was higher. Regarding sex, the step of woman was shorter than that of man over 70 years old. The more age rises, the smaller the number of steps per day becomes. The number of steps becomes remarkably smaller over 80 years old and it tends to bring a life of lack of exercise. We concluded that intentional walking maintains more than certain steps and it helps to get to sleep easily, to get enough exercise, to prevent the dicline of health which begins with feet: as a result, the low ADL can be prevented.