Press Release: Older Adults Engaged in Social Participation Are More Likely to Maintain Independence Until the End of Life (Co-researcher: Takayuki Ueno)

A research group led by Takayuki Ueno, a researcher at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Gerontology, and Professor Naoki Kondo of our lab had previously identified five patterns of physical function decline during the last three years of life: “maintained independence until death,” “rapid decline,” “gradual decline,” “moderate maintenance,” and “severe maintenance.” In this study, the group revealed that older adults who participated in social activities at least once a month in 2010 were more likely to follow the “maintained independence” trajectory compared to those who did not engage in social activities.

The findings of this study offer valuable insights into extending healthy life expectancy and improving the quality of life (QOL) for older adults. These results underscore the necessity of promoting social participation in future older adult care policies.