• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.443-451
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• 2008

Purpose: This study is to examine how dementia day care service affects fatigue, depression and life satisfaction of caregiver. Methods: The study was conducted using a convenient sampling method from 6 Dementia Day Care Center in Incheon. Thirty nine primary caregivers answered the questionnaires. Pre-test was done before demented elders start using the dementia day care center and post-test was done five months after. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Results: There was a significant difference in caregivers' fatigue level after using dementia day care service(t=2.188, p=.035). Results of subcategories were as follows; There was a significant difference in caregivers' physical fatigue level(t=2.270, p=.029) and psychological fatigue level(t=2.277, p=.029) after using dementia day care service. However, there was not significant difference in caregivers' neurological fatigue level(t=1.312, p=.197). There was a significant difference in caregivers' depression level(t=3.066, p=.004) and life satisfaction(t=-2.131, p=.040) after using dementia day care service. Conclusion: The results indicated that dementia day care service is helpful for family with demented elders. Therefore it is necessary to expand dementia day care center in terms of its size and numbers in order to support increasing number of demented elders and their families.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2007

This study investigates differences by type of caregiving using data on three groups of caregivers, 177 from home stay situations, 189 from day care centers, and 138 from nursing homes. First, the result shows that characteristics of both caregivers and elders differ by type of caregiving. Second, caregivers in the home stay situation have the highest caregiving burden of the three groups. Third, from examination of the related variables, the caregiving burden of home stay caregivers is affected by family income, caregivers' health, type of job, and whether or not the elder has symptoms of dementia. Also, the study reveals that emotional services for elders reduce the aggravation of family relations and economic burden, but that instrumental services highly increase economic burden. It reveals that caregivers of elders in day care centers, especially those who are in bad health, are more likely to experience feelings of constriction, aggravation of family relations and economic burden. On the other hand, caregivers who receive more emotional services have better experiences in family relations, including relations with the elder. In case of the elders of nursing homes, if the main caregiver is a daughter-in-law, aggravation of family relations is higher than if the main caregiver is a spouse. Finally, the caregiver's burden is affected by their own health and income, and by whether the elder has symptoms of dementia or stroke.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2021

Muscle atrophy refers to a decrease in muscle cells due to damage to muscle fibers. It is reported that muscle atrophy is caused by heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases related to aging. The purpose of this study is to reveal the inhibitory effects of seaweed extracts, which are widely consumed in Korea, and alginic acid on muscle cell damage in muscle atrophy and regeneration models. We found that seaweed extracts (U) and alginic acid (A) attenuated TNF-α-induced muscle atrophy in differentiated C2C12 myoblast cells and inhibited muscle atrophy markers such as MuRF1 and MAFbx. In addition, U and A also regulated ubiquitination marker FoxO1 protein. To confirm the muscle regeneration effect in animal tissue, cardiotoxin (CTX) was used for the regeneration model. Six hours after CTX injection, gastrocnemius muscle volume was increased compared to control. Otherwise, the muscle volume of the U and A treatment groups was not changed. U and A also upregulated regeneration markers MyHC and PGC-1α in a CTX mouse model. These results indicate that seaweed extracts and alginic acid, a seaweed component, are applicable to senile sarcopenia by inhibiting muscle loss and promoting muscle regeneration.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aims to investigate the awareness of occupational therapists among managers and directors of adult day care centers in Korea to explore the cause of the low employment rate of these therapists and offer the results as basic data that can be used to expand occupational therapy at adult day care centers. Methods : This study collected data by conducting an online questionnaire with managers and directors of adult day care centers located in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Ulsan. A total of 70 completed questionnaires were divided into two groups a 'group with experience in occupational therapy information (OT experience)' and a 'group with no experience in occupational therapy information (OT inexperience)' and analyzed. Results : First, the 'OT experience' was found to have higher levels of awareness of the scope of work of occupational therapists than the 'OT inexperience'. Second, significant differences were found in the degree of awareness and necessity of occupational therapists and plans to employ occupational therapists later between the 'OT experience' and the 'OT inexperience'. Third, it was shown that there were significant correlations between whether the respondents were familiar with occupational therapy and the degree of awareness and necessity of occupational therapists and plans to employ occupational therapists later. Conclusion : Based on these findings, the following measures are recommended to expand the area of occupational therapy in adult day care centers, the need for occupational therapists should be mentioned in the health and welfare-related education for workers at these adult day care centers, policies such as a medical fee system for occupational therapy at these adult day care centers should be prepared.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.472-480
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• 2018

This study was conducted to examine cognitive function and the ability for occupational participation in patients with mild and moderate dementia and to identify correlations between these two variables. The study investigated 95 dementia patients who visited a day care center in Daegu between September and November, 2017. Their detailed cognitive functions were examined using the Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean (MMSE-K) and the Korean Version of the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment Geriatric population: LOTCA-G. Their occupational participation was measured using the Model of Human Occupation Screening Tool (MOHOST). The subjects' cognitive functions and abilities for occupational participation were analyzed using the descriptive statistics produced by the SPSS 20.0 program. In addition, Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between the cognitive functions of the subjects and their abilities for occupational participation. The results of the study showed positive correlations between cognitive function and the ability for occupational participation of patients with mild and moderate dementia. Based on the results of this study, the evaluation of the patients with dementia and ability for occupational participation related to the cognitive function in establishing the therapeutic goal should be considered.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-90
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to compare immediate differences in fatigue and motor performance during instrumental playing in patients with chronic stroke depending on whether singing task was concurrently presented. A total of 12 patients with chronic stroke were recruited from community and daycare centers for older adults in Seoul. Six subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group and six to the comparison group. The experimental group was asked to sing while playing the electronic drum, and the comparison group only played the drum. The results of this study showed that statistically significant differences in perceived fatigue and exertion were found between the two groups, while no significant group differences were found in level of engagement in playing or force of tapping during drum playing. This study supports the inclusion of a singing task in instrument playing rehabilitation to effectively decrease perceived fatigue and level of intensity of exercises, although this may not lead to immediate changes in motor function or level of target exercises. The results indicate that singing while instrument playing may help stroke patients shift their attention from the executed motor movements to singing and alleviate the attentional and emotional load from intense movements. This study presents implications for how to select and pattern target movements in music therapy intervention for better motor outcomes.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2018

Objective : This study conducted a preliminary study to develop a occupational therapy model focused on improving living functions within the community care system. Methods : From June to July, 2018, the literature on community care was researched, focusing on cases of Japan's Management Tool for Daily Life Performance (MTDLP), Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany and domestic S Elderly Care Centers and I Health Centers. Based on this information, a group of experts developed a occupational therapy model within the community care system. Results : Assessment tools such as occupation-based health promotional table, interest checklist, occupational goals for improving living functions, sheet for evaluation of living functions, survey of daily life time (weekday and weekend), and sheet for transition of living functions were developed to conduct evaluation for occupational therapy. The improving living functions program, analysis of activities based on ICF model, lifestyle redesign program, cognitive exercise therapy, the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT), hospice, and home modification were also organized interventions already in place by occupational therapists. Conclusion : This study showed specific measures and models for the implementation of occupational therapy within community care systems. Occupational therapy is positioned as a specialized area that is essential to the client, and we look forward to the use of this model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2019

In this study we compared the cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening: MMSE-DS) and nutrient intake of elderly women with dementia in a long-term care facility (EW-LCF) and a day-time care facility (EW-DCF). This survey was conducted from July 2015 to May 2017 on 73 elderly women with dementia (47 women in LCF and 26 women in DCF) in the city of Incheon. The data obtained from interviews with the subjects and caregivers were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0. The total score of the MMSE-DS and intakes of most nutrients in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). The nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of protein, vitamin A, C, $B_6$, $B_{12}$, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). However, the indexes of nutritional quality (INQ) of vitamin C, $B_6$, thiamine, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and iron in the EW-LCF were significantly higher compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). As a result, the subjects showed an unbalanced and insufficient nutrition intake status regardless of the type of care facility. Most nutrient intakes of the EW-LCF with lower cognitive function were very significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.001). Therefore, it is necessary to assess the cognitive function and nutritional status regularly at care facilities for the elderly women suffering with dementia and to provide specialized individual nutritional management.