Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the lives of older adults as well as their activities, and these changes will likely impact their physical functioning. However, few reports have prospectively assessed the individual characteristics and pandemic-related changes assoc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Satoko Sasaki, Shigeru Ota, Kazuyoshi Takashima, Yoshiyasu Dezaki, Tomomi Sato, Yumi Sakogashira, Hitoshi Okamura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1137_24
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850036212623998976
author Satoko Sasaki
Shigeru Ota
Kazuyoshi Takashima
Yoshiyasu Dezaki
Tomomi Sato
Yumi Sakogashira
Hitoshi Okamura
author_facet Satoko Sasaki
Shigeru Ota
Kazuyoshi Takashima
Yoshiyasu Dezaki
Tomomi Sato
Yumi Sakogashira
Hitoshi Okamura
author_sort Satoko Sasaki
collection DOAJ
description Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the lives of older adults as well as their activities, and these changes will likely impact their physical functioning. However, few reports have prospectively assessed the individual characteristics and pandemic-related changes associated with the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults or clarified the associated factors. This study evaluated the changes in the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults due to the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the associated factors. Methods: Forty-one community-dwelling older adults who met the eligibility criteria were surveyed before and after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess their living conditions and physical functioning. The association between changes in physical functioning and the characteristics of older adults was examined using multiple regression analysis. Results: It was demonstrated that the number of participants who indicated that they rarely went out increased approximately threefold after the first wave of the pandemic. In addition, significant differences were found in 5-meter walking speeds (comfort speed) of participants after the first wave; however, the change was significantly lower for the group requiring nursing care than for the group requiring assistance. Conclusions: These results indicate that, given the increased number of homebound older adults due to the pandemic, more attention should be given to maintain physical functioning of older adults, specifically those requiring nursing care.
format Article
id doaj-art-2af7890fae704ee5976c0c71ac2a9d55
institution DOAJ
issn 2249-4863
2278-7135
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
spelling doaj-art-2af7890fae704ee5976c0c71ac2a9d552025-08-20T02:57:16ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family Medicine and Primary Care2249-48632278-71352025-04-011441409141510.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1137_24Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adultsSatoko SasakiShigeru OtaKazuyoshi TakashimaYoshiyasu DezakiTomomi SatoYumi SakogashiraHitoshi OkamuraBackground: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) changed the lives of older adults as well as their activities, and these changes will likely impact their physical functioning. However, few reports have prospectively assessed the individual characteristics and pandemic-related changes associated with the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults or clarified the associated factors. This study evaluated the changes in the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults due to the COVID-19 pandemic and identified the associated factors. Methods: Forty-one community-dwelling older adults who met the eligibility criteria were surveyed before and after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess their living conditions and physical functioning. The association between changes in physical functioning and the characteristics of older adults was examined using multiple regression analysis. Results: It was demonstrated that the number of participants who indicated that they rarely went out increased approximately threefold after the first wave of the pandemic. In addition, significant differences were found in 5-meter walking speeds (comfort speed) of participants after the first wave; however, the change was significantly lower for the group requiring nursing care than for the group requiring assistance. Conclusions: These results indicate that, given the increased number of homebound older adults due to the pandemic, more attention should be given to maintain physical functioning of older adults, specifically those requiring nursing care.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1137_24community-dwelling older adultscovid-19homeboundlong-term care insurancewalking speed
spellingShingle Satoko Sasaki
Shigeru Ota
Kazuyoshi Takashima
Yoshiyasu Dezaki
Tomomi Sato
Yumi Sakogashira
Hitoshi Okamura
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
community-dwelling older adults
covid-19
homebound
long-term care insurance
walking speed
title Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
title_full Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
title_fullStr Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
title_full_unstemmed Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
title_short Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community-dwelling older adults
title_sort impact of the covid 19 pandemic on the living conditions and physical functioning of community dwelling older adults
topic community-dwelling older adults
covid-19
homebound
long-term care insurance
walking speed
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1137_24
work_keys_str_mv AT satokosasaki impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT shigeruota impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT kazuyoshitakashima impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT yoshiyasudezaki impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT tomomisato impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT yumisakogashira impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults
AT hitoshiokamura impactofthecovid19pandemiconthelivingconditionsandphysicalfunctioningofcommunitydwellingolderadults