Changes in satisfaction with meaningful activities and subsequent subjective memory complaints: a two-wave longitudinal analysis of Japanese older adults

OBJECTIVES: This two-wave longitudinal study examined whether changes in satisfaction with meaningful activities (MA) were associated with subsequent subjective memory complaints (SMC) among community-dwelling older adults between 2019 and 2021. METHOD: Health surveys were conducted among local people at two time points: baseline (2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic) and follow-up (2021, during the pandemic). The participants were 275 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years without cognitive decline at baseline. Satisfaction with MA was assessed using the Aid for Decision-Making in Occupation Choice and categorized as maintained/improved or decreased at follow-up. SMC was measured using four items developed by Tsutsumimoto and quantified according to the total number of complaints. RESULTS: Older adults who maintained or improved satisfaction with MA showed no significant increase in SMC (p = 0.30), whereas those who demonstrated decreased satisfaction experienced a significant increase in SMC (p = 0.02). In the generalized linear mixed-effects model adjusted for covariates, a significant association was observed between decreased satisfaction with MA and increased SMC scores (β = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.09-0.55, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Maintaining and improving satisfaction with MA may be associated with a reduced risk of SMC increase in older adults.