The estimation of the clinical status of the residents in a geriatric health service facility in Japan.

Abstract

In order to introduce the current status of residents in geriatric care facilities in Japan, which has become a super-aging society, we investigated the relationship between the age of residents of a care facility, the level of care they needed, their estimated telomere length, the number of teeth they had left, medical history, body temperature, and body mass index (BMI). Our findings indicated that in the facility’s male residents, aging was linked to cancer, stroke, and lumbar fracture, while in female residents, it was associated with hypertension. Tooth loss appears to begin from the left side of the mouth as an individual ages, affecting both men and women regardless of gender, individuals with a history of stroke often require a high level of care and exhibit high body temperatures. Conversely, cancer survivors typically had low body temperature. These observations suggest a possible connection between individual body temperature and the pathologies of stroke and cancer. Among women, those who had previously contracted covid-19 or urinary tract infections needed more care. However, women with hypertension require less care. Patients with dementia tended to maintain their BMI and required less care, likely due to the challenges families face in providing care. These traits highlight the characteristics of elderly individuals residing in care facilities and suggest that the reasons for entering such facilities extend beyond aging and increased care needs, involving a wide range of other factors as well.

Keywords: Geriatric assessment, geroscience, longevity, nursing home issues