Purpose: Several epidemiological studies have reported an age-related increase in the prevalence of sleep disturbances. This study aims to investigate the relationship between sleep and sarcopenia/frailty in older adults and clarify issues that remain to be addressed in future studies. Design/methodology/approach: PubMed was searched for relevant studies with the following keywords in the title: “sleep” and “sarcopenia” or “sleep” and “frailty.” A total of 15 studies published in English between 1998 and 2018 were reviewed. Findings: Among the four studies that examined the relationship between sarcopenia and sleep, two reported that long or short sleep duration increased the risk of sarcopenia and this association was more pronounced in women than men. Among the seven studies examining the relationship between frailty and sleep, four reported that higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were associated with an increased risk of frailty. Practical implications: Most previous studies have focused on interventions targeting a single area such as muscle strength or exercise habits, in older adults at risk for frailty. The results suggest that interventions targeting improved sleep may positively impact the maintenance of muscle strength. Originality/value: The literature review revealed that too much or too little sleep increases the risk of sarcopenia in older adults. Further, sleep deprivation, greater night-time wakefulness and reduced sleep quality increase the risk of frailty. Interestingly, the risk of mortality is increased in individuals with daytime functional disorders such as excessive drowsiness or napping habits.

Multidimensional assessments are important in evaluating the overall health of older adults. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a representative framework; however, the burden associated with the CGA has led to the development of simplified multidimensional tools. Comparing these tools to the CGA can help utilize them effectively. However, a direct comparison is challenging owing to the conceptual nature of the CGA. In this study, we conducted a web-based survey to identify essential CGA components by linking International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) category level 2 items and “not defined/not covered” (nd/nc) items. Healthcare professionals and individuals aged >65 years participated in a two-stage Delphi study. In total, 182 respondents (7 geriatricians, 22 nurses, 20 therapists, and 4 case managers) completed the survey. Sixty-one essential components for CGA were identified, including 55 ICF categories. Additionally, personal factors (i.e., proactiveness) and nd/nc items (i.e., subjective perceptions) were aggregated. The results suggest that the CGA includes objective conditions of intrinsic capacity, functional ability, and environment as well as subjective perceptions and proactiveness toward those conditions. Thus, CGA is not merely expected to assess geriatric syndrome but also to estimate broader concepts, such as interoception, resilience, and quality of life.

Purpose Though shopkeepers in small enterprises (SSEs) are pioneers in rethinking retirement, working ages and the lifestyles of an aging society, some pertinent health issues remain unexplored. Using narratives of shopkeepers in small, rural enterprises, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the ways of thinking about health maintenance. Design/methodology/approach This study employed an ethnographic approach. In total, 20 shopkeepers and residents in a rural shopping street in Tohoku, in northeast Japan, were interviewed between June 2016 and May 2017. These interviews were analysed inductively. Findings The ways shopkeepers think about health maintenance are expressed through an interaction with their personal history. Shopkeepers and customers used narratives to arrive at novel methods to re-think health maintenance. Through data analysis, the cultural theme of maintaining vitality through long-lasting self-struggle supported by cooperation and familiar membership was identified. This cultural theme was related to three sub-themes: struggle stimulated by flexibility and responsibility; cooperation by devoting personal capital; and compensation through family support. Practical implications - There is a growing focus on the important role that SSEs play in rural health. The results of this study will enable rural nurses to approach and develop health via communal interaction. In addition, the support of the family through cooperation at home should be enhanced. Originality/value There exists the potential for shopkeepers to develop a care strategy for small enterprise-related work. This strategy could enhance active ageing and promote a sustainable healthy life.

This report is a narrative of a certified nurse working on a long-term rehabilitation ward for patients with dementia in Japan during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time visitation restrictions had been implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 causing psychological distress for patients and their families which nurses had to cope with . The nurse was interviewed twice September–October 2020. The recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Three themes were identified relating to changes in care in response to the pandemic which nurses had to adapt to: the risk of collapse of family members’ roles, anxiety caused by patients forgetting family members and family memories and increased disorientation. During the pandemic, nursing care needs to adapt, ensuring that family attachments and ties continue and minimizing the disruption caused by the pandemic, while ensuring that everyone remains Covid-safe.