Factors related to functional capacity in community‐dwelling elderly

Abstract

Background: The objectives of this study were to clarify the relationship between functional capacity and background factors in community‐dwelling elderly people.Methods: Study subjects were 1070 community‐dwelling persons aged 65 and older in 2001 who could provide complete responses to questionnaires regarding functional capacity. All subjects were enrolled from the April 2001 resident registry of Nomura‐cho in Ehime prefecture. Functional capacity was measured using the 13 items of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) index for competence (instrumental self‐maintenance, intellectual activity, social role).Results: Subjects consisted of 472 men (mean age ± standard deviation, 73 ± 6.5 years) and 598 women (75 ± 7.6 years). Functional capacity decreased with age. In particular, functional capacity was markedly decreased in women at highly advanced ages. Multiple logistic regression analysis of functional capacity showed that significantly independent explanatory variables included younger age, good financial condition, participation in community activities, regular physical exercise, absence of prescription medication, absence of hearing impairment, absence of cognitive impairment and physical independence.Conclusion: These results indicate that good financial condition, participation in community activities, regular physical exercise, absence of prescription medication, absence of hearing impairment, absence of cognitive impairment and physical independence are important for maintaining functional capacity in elderly people. Early preventive measures are necessary to combat decline in functional capacity, particularly in women at highly advanced ages.