Analysis of comprehensive geriatric assessment of elderly residents in a social welfare home for the aged compared with those in a residential care home in an urban area in Japan

Background:   The purpose of the present study was to clarify the influence of the socioeconomic factors during the middle age on the results of comprehensive geriatric assessments in later stage of life.
Methods:   A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted of elderly residents in a welfare home for the aged in Osaka and those in a residential care home in Kyoto. Results of questionnaires pertaining to activities of daily living (ADL), quality of life (QOL) and a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale as well as medical and social histories of the two groups were compared by unpaired T -test and χ² test.
Results:   Elderly residents in the welfare home were significantly younger and more were both male and unmarried or divorced than among those in the residential care home. Scores in ADLs and QOLs were significantly lower and the prevalence of depression was significantly higher in residents in the welfare home than in the residential care home.
Conclusion:   The ADLs, mental mood and subjective QOLs of residents in the welfare home were significantly lower than those of residents in the residential care home. The reason for these differences is suggested to be due to both the differences in the lifestyles of the residents in their middle age and the difference in the quality and quantity of care the residents are receiving. Local social welfare government should pay more attention to lower ADLs and QOLs of residents in welfare homes and increase efforts to improve the quality and quantity of care for them.