• 한국노년학
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.925-940
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• 2008

As the proportion of old people in contemporary societies steadily increases, the influence on cognitive rehabilitation strategy of the memory deficit associated with normal and pathological aging grows greater as well. This paper reviewed the current memory rehabilitation techniques for older adults. In the first part of this article, human memory systems as a framework for understanding memory aging were considered. In the second part, research findings concerning memory performance in normal aging and Alzheimer's disease were reviewed. Finally, recent evidence for the kinds of memory rehabilitation procedures with proven efficacy were offered. The existent memory rehabilitation technique have focused on prompt of residual explicit memory, use of preserved implicit memory, utilization of memory external memory aids. A suggestion of memory training based on brain plasticity as a novel approach is offered.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.811-835
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• 2018

Social relations and cognitive function in old age are closely related to each other, and social relation is classified into structural characteristics and qualitative characteristics reflecting cognitive and emotional evaluation. The concept of social isolation is the focus of attention in relation to the social relations of old age. Social isolation has a multidimensional theoretical structure that is divided into objective dimension such as social network, type of furniture, social participation, and subjective dimension such as lack of perceived social support and loneliness. There is also a close relationship between cognitive function and interpersonal conflict in old age. In this study, we examined the effect of subjective social isolation, which shows the structural characteristics of social relations, and subjective social isolation and interpersonal conflict on the dementia occurrence by age group in the elderly. The data were analyzed by applying a random effect panel logit model using 1,740 panel data from the first year to the third year of KSHAP. The results of the analysis are summarized as follows. First, the cognitive impairment increased sharply with age. Objective and subjective social isolation were both U-shaped distribution with an inflection point of 80 years old. Second, the main effect on the probability of cognitive impairment was statistically significant with objective and subjective social isolation, but the type of interpersonal conflict did not appear to be significant. Third, the results of two-way interaction effect analysis on the probability of cognitive impairment are as follows. The relationship between subjective social isolation and the probability of occurrence of cognitive impairment was significantly different according to the level of conflict with spouse. In addition, the higher the subjective social isolation, the higher the probability of cognitive impairment in the elderly(over 85) than in the young-old(65~74). In addition, as the level of conflict with spouses increases, the probability of cognitive impairment of the oldest-old(aged 85 or older) is drastically lower than that of the young-old(aged 65~74). Based on the results of this study, policy and practical implications for reducing the cognitive impairment of the elderly age group were suggested, and limitations of the study and suggestions for future research were discussed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1213-1225
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine psychosocial variables of exercise behaviors for old adults. A major research problem identified through theory of planned behavior and it's empirical data: Do cognitive-social variables(health risk perception, self-efficacy, group conformity, exercise attitude) significantly mediate exercise behaviors(intention, action, maintenance)? A total of 453 older adults above 65 years(171 males and 282 females) who were enrolled in various classes were randomly selected at adults centers in Seoul. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires including the psycho-social variables(health risk perception, self-efficacy, group conformity, exercise attitude) and exercise behaviors(intention, action, maintenance). The results of statistical procedures(e.g., hierarchical multiple regression) indicated self-efficacy and exercise attitude significantly predicted exercise intentions of older adults. Exercise intention was a significant predictor of action, and action was a significant predictor of exercise maintenance. In discussion, various psycho-social mechanisms were provided to interpret the results of this study, and future directions were suggested.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2009

The purpose of the current research is to reconstruct the process in which changes in elderly support take place from the perspective of the elderly in rural areas. Six elderly couples were interviewed three times with the use of Schütze's 'autobiographical-narrative interview'. The entire interviews consisted of 17 sessions. Interviewed data was analyzed, following the method of Schütze's 'autobiographical-narrative interview analysis'. Research findings were as follows: Elderly support as experienced by the current elderly couples is mainly 'family support', which turned out to be 'dual structural shift' in the process of modernization. That is, there has been an 'internal structural shift' from 'family support on intergenerational, mutual support dimension' to 'family support on intragenerational self-support dimension' on the one hand. An 'external structural shift' has been noticed that realizes the 'socialization of family support' on the other hand. Additionally, a 'discrepancy' was captured between support norm and support behavior as occurred in the process of 'dual structural shift'. Perception on the 'dual structural shift' has proven 'ambivalent'. On the basis of these results, a critical discussion of modernization theory ensued, along with some implications for practice.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.305-319
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to propose a theoretical model for understanding how marital satisfaction and depression may impact on suicide ideation of older people. This study was also focused on the mediating effect of depression. To achieve this purpose, a survey was conducted, and this sample was based on 194 older people aged over 65 living in Jeollabuk-Do, who had been participating in senior centers or in home care centers. A sampling method was the quota sampling using face to face interview, and an analysis method was the structural equation modeling. The main results testified by this study are as follows; First, the negative function of marital satisfaction had direct effect on the suicidal ideation and depression, while the positive function of depression had direct impacts on the suicidal ideation. Second, the depression mediated partially the association between marital satisfaction and suicidal ideation. This study theoretically contributes to the existing literatures documenting the impact of marital satisfaction on older people' suicide ideation. Not only that, but this study suggests practical and politic implication through these results.

• 한국노년학
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.613-633
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• 2019

The purpose of this research is to analyze the subjective perception pattern of Good Death of the Elderly by using Q-methodology. The researcher conducted individual in-depth interviews of 9 people, 4 times FGI and literature reviews to collect self-reflective statements about good death and dying. The interviewees were death-related workers, people who had experience with death of their spouse or parents, experts and the elderly through individual or group interviews. Thirty-four Q-samples were extracted from the Q-population and P-samples of thirty people male and female 15 each from sixties to eighties participated in Q-sorting. Data analysed using by QUANL program and found that three factor structures were appropriate accounted for 54.64% of the total variance. Perception pattern on Good Death was analysed into 3 types; Death without fear(type 1), Burdenless death(type 2), Long-lived-death(type 3). According to these results, the researcher discussed theoretically and suggested some significant implications.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.329-349
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to examine whether there are differences in participation in social activities and the effects of social activity types on the levels of happiness of the Korean older adults by age groups. The 5th wave(2014) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) was used and a total of 3,273 elderly were selected from the 5th wave, who were 65 years old and older and who were not living with their offsprings. Chi-square test, ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used. The rate of participation in economic activities declined with age and the levels of participation in leisure activities was higher in the young-old group in comparison to the middle- and the oldest- old groups. The levels of participation in family activities was higher in the middle- and the oldest-old groups in comparison to the young-old group. Socializing activities and religious activities measured by the frequencies of activities were not significantly different among the age groups. The results of a regression analysis of social activity types and their effects on happiness by age groups are the followings: 1) Leisure, socializing, religious, and family activities all (with the exception of economic activities) significantly affected the level of happiness of older persons in the young-old group. 2) However, only socializing and family activities in the middle-old age group, and only family activities in oldest-old group, had a statistically significant impact on the levels of happiness. These results support that the rates of participation in the five types of social activities and their effects on the levels of happiness were different by age groups. The implication of this study was to report that needs and the interests of older individuals are different by age groups based on empirical evidences.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.125-149
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyse the mediating effects of spirituality on the relationship between functional capacity and depression among the elderly. The conceptual framework was based on the integrated theory by Brief et al.(1993) to life satisfaction. The sample was collected through convenience sampling of 413 elderly persons who were 65 years of age or older drawn from senior welfare centers, community senior centers, and religious institutions in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling(SEM). The main findings of the present study are as following: First, spirituality had the mediated effects on which depression and IADL influenced life satisfaction. Particularly, existential spirituality on life satisfaction had larger effect size than religious spirituality. Second, the results showed that religious spirituality had positive effects on existential spirituality. These findings demonstrate that the development and implementation of programs geared for fostering religious spirituality and existential spirituality of senior citizens are needed to improve life satisfaction in the field of social welfare. To this end, the foundation of spiritual practice in the field of social work with older people should be constructed through a spirituality-related system and professional training.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.563-579
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of move intention to welfare housing in Korea. Participants completed a questionnaire which included measures of socioeconomic variables, variables of the theory of planned behavior. The data was collected from 380 elderly women over the age of 60 in Korea. This study was examined by statistical analysis on SPSS program 18.0. The results of this study are as follows. First, the attitude of elderly women have a positive effect on welfare housing. Second, the subjective norm of elderly women have a positive effect on welfare housing. Third, the perceived behavioral control of elderly women positively effect on welfare housing. The results of this study prove that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control is part of the theory of planned behavior. The finding shows that modified, the theory of planned behavior can be used as a guide in predicting behavioral intention. we should be responsible for the follow-up and monitoring of situations and reevaluate periodically to ensure that needs are being met and services are appropriate. These things are very important to succeed for senior citizens in Korea.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.999-1014
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of long-term care insurance(macro-system) on family relationship(micro-system)s' change based on ecosystems theory. Data come from the second(2007) and the fourth(2009) Korean Welfare Panel Study(KWPS). Experimental group is the beneficiary using long-term care insurance and the member of household in their households, and control group is the non-beneficiary not using long-term care insurance and the member of household in their households. The main findings of difference-in-difference model analysis are as follows. First, the ecosystems theory is a theory examining the correlation between long-term care insurance and family relationship. Second, the effects of long-term care insurance is not income effect but independent effect. This result shows that the meaning of family has faded away and family relationship has been weaken and that long-term care insurance has not complete characteristics as a social insurance. Thus, system reforms of long-term care insurance is highly needed for system comprehensiveness, coverage, adequacy, and service accessibility and is changed into family-friendly social policy.