Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide information searching for health promotion, nutrition improvement, and health care of the impaired elderly by ADL(Activity of Daily Living) and IADL(Instrumental Activity of Daily Living). The subjects were divided into the Assistant Needed Group and No Assistant Needed Group for living in line with the responses of ADL(10 items like dressing, washing, move etc.) and IADL(10 items like housekeeping, using transportation, shopping, Phone call etc.). Survey was made for health behavior, health risk habit, dietary management status and diet intake by 24 hr-recall and questionnaire method. 242 subjects were collected in 12 cities or Gun districts in Gyeonggi Province, S. Korea. Survey was carried out by regional home extension workers using interview method. Statistical analyses were made using SAS (Version 8.1). Chi-Square Tests and General Linear Models. The subjects of impaired ADL elderly was 26.5% and it composed 30% of the total male and 22.2% of the total female. The demographic status of the impaired ADL elderly showed no difference from that of the normal elders, elementary school educated (73.4%), with spouse (43.8%) or with adult children(37.5%), using monthly living cost of 500-1,000 thousand won(35.9%). Mean age was 74.05 years compared to 72.25 years of normal elders. However, there was no significant difference from the normal and impaired ADL group, regular exercise(60.0%), with walking (90.0%), no-smoke(54.7%) and no-drink(48.4%). Kind of disease was not different from the one in impaired and normal group, with cardiovascular disease(32.3%), with diabetes mellitus(8.1%), joint lumbago neuralgia(32.3%) and osteoporosis(9.7%). Gastrointestinal complaints of the impaired ADL group were nausea(57.8%), chronic indigestion (23.4%), constipation (14,0%) and vomiting(3.7%). Sleeping time required for the impaired was longer than that for the normal group by 10hours(4.7%) or 8-10hours(20.3%), which consisted 1.7% and 16.6% respectively. Nutrient intake of the impaired ADL group was low compared to normal range elders: Energy(1260kca1), Protein(52.75g). There was gender difference in nutrient intake; the male impaired group showed no significant difference from the normal group but it was significantly lower in female impaired group. These results suggest that low quality of life and low economic status of the impaired ADL elderly require congregate meal in village hall to cover the lack of side dishe variety. And nutrition education program including community assistance would be required for the impaired ADL elderly together with the sufficient food and exercise practice. By operating nutrition education program, the impaired ADL elderly would maintain more enhanced quality of life and ameliorate the ADL capability.

Keywords

• impaired elderly;
• ADL;
• health and dietary management;
• gender difference