A major poll will begin this month in Aichi Prefecture using a smartphone app that encourages the elderly to exercise, aiming to determine whether such activity reduces the incidence rate of dementia or nursing care.
The poll will be conducted by the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), an independent administrative agency in Obu, Aichi Prefecture, utilizing an app developed by the organization.
The app has several functions, including recommending local walking courses and distributing calisthenics videos; checking how active a user is, such as by calculating walking distances; providing brainteaser games; and administering an online chat platform so participants can interact with each other.
The poll will survey about 3,500 men and women aged 60 or older who live in the cities of Chita, Takahama and Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. Half of the participants will use the app daily and take a walk twice a week. The other half will not use the app, but partake in health lectures once or twice a year.
By following the two groups, the center hopes to determine whether there are any differences regarding the incidence rate of dementia or being designated as needing nursing care.
Studies conducted in other countries have found that seniors who do little physical exercise or are socially isolated have an increased risk of developing dementia. The app aims to improve the daily lifestyles of the elderly.
"Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the elderly tend to be less active. But if they're connected online and exercise regularly, it may be possible to reduce the risk of developing dementia or being designated as needing nursing care," said Hidenori Arai, president of the NCGG.
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