The Effectiveness of Japan’s Community Centers in Facilitating Social Participation and Maintaining the Functional Capacity of Older People

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a community center in Japan at promoting social participation and sustaining its regular users’ functional capacity. The surveys were distributed to 108 physically and cognitively independent local older people; 72 responses were received. There were 16 regular users and 56 nonregular users. An inverse probability of treatment-weighted Poisson regression analysis was performed, and prevalence rate ratios were computed for social participation and functional capacity according to respondents’ use of the center. Results showed that using the center regularly facilitated social participation, contributing to the maintenance of living functions. Regular users’ social participation was promoted through opportunities in sports and volunteer organizations. Their living functions were maintained through instrumental self-maintenance and intellectual activity. Community centers evidently enable beneficial gatherings of older people, encourage social participation, and help to maintain higher level activities of daily living. Thus, they might offer effective preventative care for older people.