Items regarded as important for satisfaction in daily life by elderly residents in Kitakyushu, Japan

The objective of this study was to determine what items were important for satisfaction in the daily life of elderly Japanese people living at home. The subjects consisted of 996 persons living in Yahatanishi Ward, Kitakyushu City, Japan, two percent of residents aged 60 years or over, who were randomly selected from the official register of voters. A questionnaire was sent to the subjects to determine their profiles and asking them to select the five items they considered most important for satisfaction in daily life from 35 predetermined items. The items with a significant difference using a chi 2 test between age groups, gender, place of residence, living conditions and level of disability were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The top five items selected were "good health" (86%), "social security and pension" (47%), "self-care independence" (45%), "marital satisfaction" (34%), and a "good relationship with relatives" (33%). Logistic regression analysis showed gender, age group, living conditions, and level of disability significantly affected the preference for selection of 12 items. Men or younger persons regarded "health" and a "good relationship with a spouse" as very important, whereas women, older persons, or persons with a disability considered "self-care independence" and the "ability to walk" as important. The items selected for satisfaction in daily life and the order of preference yield important information about rehabilitative and social welfare services for elderly persons living at home.