Did "Kayoinoba" Prevent the Decline of Mental and Physical Functions and Frailty for the Home-Based Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The purpose of this study is to grasp the management situation of "Kayoinoba" under the conditions of self-quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also to clarify the efficacy of "Kayoinoba" using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) for the assessment of mental and physical functions in the elderly. The respondents were 136 elderly people aged 65 years and over who lived in A City, a standard rural area in Japan. The age, gender, living style, affluence for living, and the frequency of participation in "Kayoinoba" were examined by using the KCL as a self-completed questionnaire. Finally, 101 respondents were included in the final analysis. There was no difference in the participation status before and after the spread of COVID-19. The frailty ratio tended to decrease from 23.8% to 19.8% between the two periods, but there was no difference in the frailty ratio. It is suggested that the participants in "Kayoinoba" may have suppressed the deterioration of mental and physical conditions, excluding physical activity. This would prevent the frailty of the elderly, even during self-quarantine due to the spread of COVID-19.