Relationship among activities of daily living, apathy, and subjective well-being in elderly people living alone in a rural town

Background: There are limited psychological data on the quality of life and activities of daily living among elderly Japanese who live alone. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of apathy and its correlation with activities of daily living and with subjective well-being in elderly people living alone in a depopulated rural area, Methods: We evaluated 96 individuals aged 70 years or older (mean age 77.8 years) who lived alone at home in a rural town. To evaluate activities of daily living, apathy, and subjective well-being, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Competence Index, the Apathy Scale, and the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (subjective well-being scale) were used. Results: Of the 96 subjects, 94 (97.9%) showed apathy. The total score of the index of activities of daily living was primarily related to age and the apathy score and less to the PGC Morale Scale score. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that apathy in subjects who live alone ap pea rs to exert a marked effect on their ability to perform routine activities of daily living.