A few weeks ago the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:
高齢者、５～１０歳若いゾ！定義の変更必要？
2015年06月13日 00時18分
日本老年学会は１２日、６５歳以上の高齢者の身体、知的機能や健康状態についての分析結果を発表した。
最新の科学データを総合すると、「現在の高齢者は１０～２０年前に比べて、５～１０歳は若返っていると想定される」と評価。高齢者の健康状態は個人差が大きいが、「高齢者が就労やボランティア活動などに参加できる社会を創ることが今後の超高齢社会を活力あるものにするために大切だ」との声明を出した。
知的機能については、日本大の内藤佳津雄教授（心理学）らが、国立長寿医療研究センター（愛知県大府市）が大府市の４０歳以上の住民約２３００人に実施してきた知能検査のデータを分析。認知症がなく、健康状態の良い高齢者の集団では、ほとんどの検査項目で６０～７０歳代の成績が向上し、２０１０年の７０歳代は１０年前の１０歳程度若い人たちと同等の成績だった。
病気にかかる割合については、東京大の秋下雅弘教授（老年医学）が全国の６５～７９歳の高齢者が１９９６～２０１１年に医療機関で治療を受けた割合を分析。７５～７９歳の女性では脳卒中で治療を受けた割合が３分の１近くになるなど、脳卒中、心筋梗塞、骨粗しょう症で大きく減っていた。この他にもアルツハイマー病を除く、ほぼ全ての病気で低下傾向にあり、これに伴い、要介護認定率もほぼ全ての年代で低下した。秋下教授は、定期的な運動など生活習慣が改善したのが原因ではないかと指摘。６５～７９歳の高齢者の健康状態は５～１０歳程度改善している可能性があるとした。
身体機能では、桜美林大の鈴木隆雄教授（同）が、１９９２年と２００２年に秋田県で実施された高齢者の調査のデータを比較、歩く速さや握力、片足立ちの時間などが各年代で向上していたことを報告した。この地域では、その後の調査でも身体機能が改善しているデータも出ているという。
同学会では、今後、これらのデータを基に、現在６５歳以上とされている高齢者の定義を変更する必要があるかどうかも検討する。
(試譯文)
On the 12th (June), the Association of
Gerontology in Japan announced the result of an analysis on body health and intellectual
function of those senior citizens aged over 65.
After the latest scientific data were
synthesized, "the present senior citizens compared with those10-20 years
ago were 5-10 years younger ". Regarding the health condition of senior
citizens, individual’s variation was huge. A statement was issued saying that “it's
important to create a society that senior citizens can participate by starting to
work and doing volunteer activities, making the future's super-old society
vigorous”.
About the intellectual function, (Psychology)
professor Katsuo Naito and others from the Nihon University analyzed data of an
intelligence test done by the National Institute for Longevity Sciences (Obu
city, Aichi) carried out on about 2,300 residents aged over 40 in Obu city.
With the exception of dementia, for those senior citizens in the good health group,
in most of the inspection items, for the 60-70 years-old generation there was
an improvement. For those in the seventies in the year 2010, the result was an equivalent
to 10 years younger compared to those in the seventies 10 years ago.
On the percentage of those
getting ill, Prof. Akishita Masahiro (Geriatric medicine) of the University of
Tokyo analyzed 65-79-year-old senior citizens in the whole country who had received
medical treatment from a medical agency in 1996-2011. For 75-79-year-old female
nearly 1/3 had a medical treatment for apoplexy; meanwhile there was a big
decrease in apoplexy, myocardial infarction and osteoporosis. For other
diseases with the exception of Alzheimer's disease, there was a tendency for
the sickness to decrease. Accompanying with that, the rate in issuing out long-term
care certificate had also decreased. Professor Akishita pointed out that probably
it was due to the periodic movements, and the improvements in one’s living
habit. He assumed that a 5 to10-year health situation improvement was possible for
65-79-year-old senior citizens.
Prof. Takao Suzuki of Obirin University (same
field) compared data obtained from an investigation conducted on senior citizens
in Akita-ken in 1992 and 2002 regarding body functioning. It was reported that the
walking speed, the griping power, and the time standing on one leg had improved.
It was said that in this area in subsequent investigations, the data showing improvements in body
functioning had come out.
At the same academic meeting it was said that,
based on these data, from now on it would be necessary to consider whether to
change the present definition in saying those over 65 years old were senior
citizens.
It is interesting to note that, compared with a few decades ago, people aged over 65 now are in better shape in health.
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