Mobility function of the elderly living with their children and its relation to the home health care system in Tokyo.

Abstract

Most elderly in Japan prefer living with their children once their spouse passes away. In comparison with western countries, home health care systems have developed quite differently in Japan. The traditional practice of the elderly living with their children is, however, changing. In 1989 we carried out a mail questionnaire survey focused on the relationship between mobility functions of the elderly living in Tokyo and their rate of living with family members. The subjects for the present analysis were 2368 widows and widowers. Under the group category 'independent in long walks', 72.8% were living with their families. With a decrease in mobility functions, this percentage rose to 81.1 and 84.6, although it decreased to 50.9 in the group with severely impaired mobility functions. The need to develop effective social services for families housing their parents is discussed.