Background/Objectives: Maintaining functional independence and minimizing disability among older adults living in the community is paramount for mitigating rising care demands. Our study focused on shopping as a critical instrumental activity of daily living (ADL) to explore the association between shopping assistance and functional decline among older individuals receiving support through long-term care insurance (LTCI). Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 6202 participants aged >65 years living in a Japanese regional town receiving LTCI support, suggesting that they required assistance with local community life. Logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with shopping assistance among the participants, including physical and cognitive functions, functional ADL, and psychobehavioral symptoms. Results: In male participants, walking dysfunction, short-term memory decline, decreased frequency of going outdoors, and decreased engagement in personal grooming were significantly associated with requiring shopping assistance. Conversely, in female participants, reduced physical function and walking performance were significantly associated with requiring shopping assistance, whereas dependence on personal grooming was less pronounced than in male participants. Conclusions: These findings suggest that, in addition to direct shopping assistance, tailored interventions targeting physical, cognitive, and ADL functions—while considering gender-specific needs—may help older adults maintain independence in shopping activities as part of their daily community life.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, providing support for older adults who continued to live in the affected areas has been a critical issue. We examined the effects of programs to address how challenges of daily living impact individuals’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This was a 14 session, quasi-experiment trial that included 89 older adults aged 65 years or older who continued to live in the earthquake-affected areas. Participants were assigned to one of two programs: 48 older adults participated in the program “activities and participation”, aimed at addressing the challenges of daily living such as loss of habits, meaning to live, social and domestic roles, and leisure; and 44 older adults participated in the program “body functions and structures”, aimed at improving their physical functions. Differences between groups were assessed using chi-square tests, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The “activities and participation” program was effective in advancing participants’ HRQOL (p <.01, effect size = 0.51). Further, it may lead to improved physical functions. This study indicates that, in a post-disaster response, it is effective to focus on challenges of daily living while considering the QOL of affected older adults. The program was useful in helping older adults affected by disasters to rebuild their lives as part of a disaster response.

Introduction: A client-centred approach ensures that individuals can express what’s most important to them, with therapists providing collaborative support. This study examined factors influencing the quality of collaborative relationships between clients and occupational therapists and explored how the strength of these relationships affects therapy outcomes. Method: A prospective longitudinal observational study was conducted at day care centres across Japan, with participants followed for 1 year. Occupational therapists delivered occupational therapy guided by a client-centred approach. Outcomes, including daily activities and health-related quality of life, were measured before and after the intervention. The Collaborative Relationship Scale (CRS) was used to assess baseline relationship quality. Results: Among 101 participants (aged 47–93 years), CRS scores categorised them into good, neutral, and poor relationship groups. Logistic regression revealed that goal achievement and clients’ understanding of occupational therapy were associated with relationship quality. Over 50% of participants in the good relationship group had activities of daily living goals, whereas more than 50% in the poor relationship group had mobility goals. Conclusion: Strong collaborative relationships may positively influence occupational therapy processes and outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of goal setting within occupational therapy guided by a client-centred approach in enhancing therapeutic relationships.

Background: Attentional function is the basis of cognitive function, and its decline affects the daily lives of older adults. Previous studies have not consistently reported the effects of dual-task training (DTT) on attentional function in community-dwelling older adults. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of DTT by combining “motor tasks” and “cognitive tasks involving motor activity” with a focus on inducing dual-task interference (DTI). Methods: The study design is a randomized controlled trial. The intervention consists of DTT that combines “motor tasks” involving lower limb movements with “cognitive tasks involving motor activity” incorporating complex finger movements. The program will be implemented in a DTI setting, and tasks will be adjusted individually for each participant. The intervention group will be conducted twice per week for four weeks, with each session lasting one hour. The control group will continue with the participants’ usual daily activities for four weeks. Attentional function will be assessed as the primary outcome using the Trail Making Test-Japanese and as secondary outcomes using the digit span test and the Stroop and reverse-Stroop test. Balance function will be measured using the single-leg stance test. All evaluations will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention. In the statistical analysis, paired t -tests will be used to compare pre-intervention and post-intervention changes within each group, and analysis of covariance will be used to compare intervention effects between groups. Discussion: Based on the study objectives, the maintenance and improvement of attentional function should be promoted to help community-dwelling older adults maintain healthy lives in familiar environments. Trial registration: UMIN, UMIN000057681. Registered on 30 June 2025. UMIN website https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000065882 .