Frailty among older adults is a growing public health concern worldwide. Although interventions have traditionally focused on exercise and nutrition, there is limited evidence from an occupational perspective regarding simple, practical indicators—such as the total volume of daily activities—and the combined impact of environmental factors in community settings. This study aimed to examine the association between the total number of daily activities, environmental factors, and frailty status among older adults utilizing community-based senior salons.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 271 older adults (aged ⩾65 years) in Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture. Frailty was assessed using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and categorized as robust, prefrail, or frail. Independent variables included the number of current activities, ICT use, exercise habits, and environmental characteristics. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data, and ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with frailty severity.
Results:
Of the participants, 22.1% were classified as frail and 40.6% as prefrail. Ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher number of current activities was significantly associated with lower odds of having severe frailty (odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87–0.95, p < 0.001). ICT use (OR = 0.57, p = 0.049) and regular physical activity (OR = 0.61, p = 0.048) were also independent protective factors. Environmental factors showed no significant associations.
Conclusion:
Engaging in a greater number of daily activities is independently associated with lower frailty risk, whereas physical environmental factors showed no direct correlation. These findings suggest that the total volume of daily activities serves as a practical occupational indicator for frailty screening. For community-based interventions, moving beyond exercise-centric models to promote “activity diversification”—including modern IADLs such as ICT use—and meaningful occupational engagement may offer a highly effective strategy for frailty prevention in older adults.
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