Software to support older adults based on their interests in daily life and social activities

In our previous study, we have reported the invention of user-friendly scoring software which can evaluate interests of older adults at ease. Using 4 subscales such as “To live with good communication”, “To achieve one's purpose”, “To live socially” and “To live comfortably. We have already distributed this software to 2,000 municipalities all over Japan.

In this study, we try to make progress on this software according to the survey to municipalities which ask the utility of this software.

We conducted a survey of 2,000 municipalities with a mailed questionnaire in 2005.

One thousand and seventy nine (54%) municipalities answered the survey. Of those, the answer that “the software is very useful” was 78% and the answer that “we are interested in using it” was 55%. In addition, there was the opinion that it would be more useful if it has the factors in terms of social activity.

Ojima et al has invented the “Social Activity Check List” which can estimate job activity, socially-related activities, learning activities and personal activities.

Therefore we try to modify the software to be able to evaluate the status of older adult's social activities in addition to their interests in daily life using the “Social Activity Check List” which is referred above.

We are expecting that this software will be helpful to policy making, which can progress the QOL and promote social activities of older adults.