HMN 2026: How Longer weekly home-visit rehabilitations are linked to improved activities of daily living in older adults

In aging societies, the role of home-visit rehabilitation (HR)—which provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy in patients’ homes—is becoming increasingly important for supporting independent living. Although previous studies have shown that HR can help maintain and improve activities of daily living (ADL) among older adults with limited access to outpatient services, the dose-response relationship between the amount of HR time per week and ADL improvement remains unclear.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba analyzed ADL outcomes recorded during routine clinical practice using anonymized records from home-visit nursing stations collected through Kaipoke, a management support system used by long-term care and disability welfare providers.

Compared with the group receiving ?40 min per week, participants receiving >40–60 minutes, >60–80 minutes, and >80–120 minutes HR per week over the six-month period showed significant improvements in ADL.

Further subgroup analyses revealed that longer weekly HR was associated with greater improvement in ADL among older adults with moderate to severe care needs (levels 2–5), whereas no significant differences were observed in the level 1 group, whose members were relatively more independent at baseline. Similar trends were also observed in analyses restricted to older adults with cerebrovascular disease or fractures.

The findings, published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, highlight the need for adequate HR duration to support ADL improvements, especially among older adults with greater care needs. Providing appropriate access to rehabilitation services can help maintain independence and quality of life as Japan’s population continues to age.

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