Development of a community's self-efficacy scale for preventing social isolation among community-dwelling older people (Mimamori Scale).

Background: Among older people in developed countries, social isolation leading to solitary death has become a public health issue of vital importance. Such isolation could be prevented by monitoring at-risk individuals at the neighborhood level and by implementing supportive networks at the community level. However, a means of measuring community confidence in these measures has not been established.

Effects of an Updated Preventive Home Visit Program Based on a Systematic Structured Assessment of Care Needs for Ambulatory Frail Older Adults in Japan: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the effects on functional parameters of an updated preventive home visit program for frail older adults in the Japanese Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) system.

Methods: The program included home visits by nurses or care managers every 3 months for 24 months, with a systematic assessment of care needs to prevent functional decline. Eligible participants (N = 360) were randomly assigned to the visit (VG: n = 179) or control group (CG: n = 181).

[Association between Service Utilization Patterns and Frailty in the Elderly Certified at the Support Level in the Long-term Care Insurance System].

Objectives: This cross-sectional study clarified the association between service utilization patterns and frailty in the elderly certified at the support level in Japan's long-term care insurance (LTCI) system.

Methods: We analyzed 710 subjects who completed in-home assessments and interviews from 1,033 elderly aged 65 and over living in Izumiotsu who had been certified at the LTCI support level in August 2014. The long-term service utilization data were collected from the local governmental office.

Assessing the quality and effectiveness of an updated preventive home visit programme for ambulatory frail older Japanese people: research protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To describe the programme and research protocol of our updated preventive home visit programme for ambulatory frail older adults in the Japanese Long-Term Care Insurance system.

Background: Our previous trials have shown that the nature of recommendations during preventive home visits is a key issue. The present programme has updated our previous one by including a unique structured assessment with treatment recommendations tied to an ongoing programme for quality assurance.

Effects of preventive home visits on health care costs for ambulatory frail elders: a randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Reducing health care costs through preventive geriatric care has become a high priority in Japan. We analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a preventive home visit program on health care costs among ambulatory frail elders.

Methods: Structured preventive home visits by nurses or care managers were provided to the visit group every 6 months over 2 years.

Development of a community commitment scale with cross-sectional survey validation for preventing social isolation in older Japanese people.

Background: Elderly social isolation could be prevented by facilitating communication or mutual helping at the neighborhood level. The helping of elderly neighbors by local volunteers may relate to their community commitment (CC), but ways to measure CC have not been identified. The aim of the present study was to develop a Community Commitment Scale (CCS) to measure psychological sense of belonging and socializing in the community among local volunteers, for research in prevention of elderly social isolation.

Effects of a preventive home visit program in ambulatory frail older people: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effects on functional and psychosocial parameters and long-term care utilization of a preventive home visit program for ambulatory frail Japanese elders.

Methods: Eligible participants (n = 323) were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 161) or control group (n = 162). Nurses and care managers provided structured preventive home visits to the intervention group participants every 6 months over 2 years.