Changes in higher-level functional capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults living in Japan

Objective : To evaluate change in higher-level functional capacity of older Japanese individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : Four hundred older Japanese individuals completed an online questionnaire in early May 2021. Participants were asked retrospectively about their higher-level functional capacity and lifestyle before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher-level functional capacity was determined as total score on the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG-IC). Total TMIG-IC score ranges from 0 to 13. A decline in higher-level functional capacity was defined as a decrease in TMIG-IC score of more than 2 points during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in higher-level functional capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed by paired t-test and a general linear model. Results : Decreased TMIG-IC scores were found in 43 (21.5%) men and 61 (30.5%) women. Among those with higher-level functional capacity, scores for total TMIG-IC and Social Role decreased significantly in both sexes (all p< 0.005). Conclusion : The findings suggest an association of the COVID-19 pandemic with a decrease in higher-level functional capacity, especially in Social Role, among older adults living in Japan.