特別養護老人ホーム入所高齢者の生体リズムの特徴とその関連要因

Abstract

It is universally recognized that biological rhythms in the frail elderly with disorders such as dementia are liable to disruptions; however, studies exploring the characteristic features of biological rhytims in the elderly and the factors causing disruptions of the rhytims in the frail elderly, especially those in need of care and residing in nursing homes are still few. We conducted the present study to examine the characteristics of the biological rhytlms and the factors causing disruptions of the rhythms in 50 residents of special nursing homes for the elderly (9 men and 41 women) using a contmuous portable instrument. The results revealed disrupted 24-hr rhytims in 22 subjects (44%), nearly half of the study subjects. The results also suggested the possible involvement of wake-sleep cycle reversal (P = 0.032) in the rhythm disruptions. Activitles of daily living (P = 0.046), poriomania (P = 0.039), and participation in actions (P = 0.039) were also found to be significant factors contributing to disruptions of the biological rhytlms. Seventeen residents (34%) showed considerable decrease in the activities of daily living. The present findings on the characteristics of biological rhythms and the factors involved in causing the disruptions of the rhythms in elderly nursing home residents provide basic information for considering interventions to improve care for the frail elderly in need of care in the clinical practice setting of nursing care for the aged.