• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2017

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the quality of life and stress level of the elderly living alone in their neighborhood volunteers. Methods Data collection was done from July 1 to October 1, 2015 and the data were collected by self-reported questionnaire at Nowon community in Seoul area in South Korea. The subjects were 146 older adults living alone agreed to participate in the study(accepted by IRB). The questionnaire was constructed with quality of life 26 items, 5-point Likert type scale(1-5), stress 15 items, 5-point Likert type. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results Socially isolated older adults had significantly higher scores ($3.7{\pm}.03$) in quality of life, moderate scores ($2.9{\pm}.03$) in stress. Conclusion The peer support undertaken by older community volunteers was effective in improving quality of life in socially isolated older adults. It is necessary to listen to the voice of elderly people living alone through the activation of volunteer groups in the community.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.151-164
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• 2019

In this study, we developed a visual novel game as one of the donation campaign strategies. In study 1, we developed a visual novel game for the elderly who live alone. In study 2, we also examine how game affects personal distress and empathic concern, the emotions that trigger help behavior. The results showed that game can promote both emotions effectively. Moreover, empathic concern completely mediated between game and donation intention. This result suggests that visual novel games can be an effective tool for stimulating user's altruistic motivation to do donation behavior.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.382-395
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the transition experiences of the elderly from long-term care hospitals to their homes. Methods: The participants were eight elderly medicaid beneficiaries, who had been the subjects from the community care project in Korea. The data were collected with one-on-one interviews from April to November in 2020, and analyzed by phenomenological steps. Results: The seven themes derived in this study were 'Space to escape', 'Reliable supporter opened the way to discharge', 'Comfortable life at home', 'Obstacles to independent life', 'Struggling to live alone', 'Fence for community life', and 'Energizing in daily life' Conclusion: The results revealed the positive aspects of Community Care program in Korea. However, it is suggested that active communication between hospitals and community care institutions, and improvement of home environment to live in the community before discharge should be required. And system revision is needed to adjust activity in their home and support health problems of the elderly in the early stage of discharge. The results of this study can be referred to as the foundation of transitional care for the elderly.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2018

Purpose: Self-efficacy encompass one's belief in one's ability to organize and achieve goals. Previous studies have not adequately examined the mediating role of self-efficacy between social support and health promotion behavior. Therefore, this study explored the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between social support and health promotion behavior among older women living alone. Methods: Participants were 145 older women living alone attending a local welfare center for seniors. They completed the Self-efficacy Scale, Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey Scale, and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. Data were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, Baron and Kenny's regression analysis and the Sobel test with the SPSS program. Results: The average social support, health promotion behavior, and self-efficacy were not high. Self-efficacy was a partial mediating role in the relationship between social support and health promotion behavior. Social support was positively correlated with self-efficacy (r=.31, p<.001) and with health promotion behavior (r=.43, p<.001), and self-efficacy was positively related with health promotion behavior (r=.39, p<.001). Conclusion: To enhance health promotion behavior in older women who live alone, intervention strategies to increase social support and self-efficacy for these women should be developed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.514-516
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• 2022

Busan Metropolitan City runs Community Health Center which aims to health care service based on the community, besides the established health medical service towards people with low-income. 71 centers are run in 2021, therefore, this papear explores the way of digital transition of these centers. Digital Technologies possibly adopted inside the centers are: First, smart devices to advance the management system of chronical diseases based on health index; Second, IoT with mobile tech to manage health index; Third, AI Robot to care lone elderly people and to warn the emergency.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2023

Purpose: This study sought to identify factors affecting the health-related quality of life (HINT-8) of female seniors aged 65 years or older living alone after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Raw data from the eighth third year (2021) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used, and the total number of subjects was 379. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 program, employing complex sample frequency and percentages, t-tests, analyses of variance, and regression analyses, while a post-hoc test (Bonferroni correction) was performed to determine differences in health-related quality of life. Results: The results of the study showed that the study subjects' health-related quality of life differed significantly depending on activity restrictions, number of walking days, age at menopause, perceived stress, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and subjective health. Most of the influencing factors were emotional factors such as perceived stress level, generalized anxiety disorder, and subjective health status carrying an explanatory power of 46%. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used as basic data to establish intervention strategies based on factors that affect the health-related quality of life for female seniors living alone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.709-725
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• 2024

This study utilized the raw data from the Community Health Survey (2023) to compare differences in body function, activity, participation, environment, personal factors, and suicidal ideations between elderly individuals aged 65 and older living alone and those living with families in Korea. The study subjects consisted of 80,618 elderly individuals aged 65 and older. Cross-tabulation analysis χ²-test), independent sample t-test, and logistic regression analysis were conducted. The results indicated that for both elderly individuals living alone and those living with families, age(p<.001), smoking(p<.001), stress(p<.001), depression experience(p<.001), and falls experiences(p<.001) were risk factors that increased suicidal ideations. Conversely, educational level(p<.05), income level(p<.001), subjective health status(p<.001), social participation(p<.001), economic activity(p<.001), community environment(p<.001), and social relationships were protective factors that reduced suicidal ideations. These findings demonstrate that demographic characteristics and individual health status significantly influence suicidal ideation in the elderly, while social factors contribute to a decrease in suicidal ideation. Furthermore, considering the differences found between elderly individuals living alone and those living with families regarding hypertension and gender, differentiated interventions for suicide prevention are necessary.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an arthritis self-management program on elderly women living alone in the community. Methods: This study recruited 36 individuals, who participated in the program once a week for six weeks at two community centers. The program consisted of muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises, health education on muscles and joints, and joint dance for aerobic exercise. The data collected were analyzed using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon rank test. Results: After six weeks, participants showed significant improvements in pain (t=3.03, p=.005), difficulties in activities of daily living (t=2.77, p=.010), health-related quality of life (t=-2.63, p=.014), flexibility of right shoulder (z=-2.42, p=.015), and balance (right leg, t=-2.63, p=.036; left leg, z=-2.36, p=.018). Conclusion: The results showed that the arthritis self-management program effectively improved outcomes for elderly women living alone. Thus, this program could be incorporated into various programs for elderly people living alone.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.277-288
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• 2015

Purpose: As the rate of senior citizens living alone increases in the current aging society, there is much concern regarding the health and nutritional intake of solitary senior citizens. Therefore, this study compared the nutritional intake of senior citizens according to their family type. Methods: In July and August of 2011, two senior citizen welfare centers in Seoul were visited to survey 267 elderly women. Excluding 54 subjects for which the data were incomplete, information from 213 subjects was analyzed. The subjects were divided into three family types, living alone (LA, n = 74), living with spouse (LS, n = 78), and living with children (LC, n = 61). Results: The mean age of the LA group was the highest, while the mean age of the LS group was the lowest (p < 0.001), and WHR of the LC group was the highest (p = 0.049). Income was the highest in the LS group (p < 0.001). Frequency of eating out was the lowest in the LA group (p = 0.031). By Duncan's multiple analysis, the amounts of energy intake, vegetable protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, Vit D, Vit E, $Vit\;B_2$, niacin, $Vit\;B_6$, $Vit\;B_{12}$, and cholesterol were significantly higher in the LS group compared with the LA or LC group (p < 0.05). The intakes of calcium, Vit D, $Vit\;B_{12}$, and cholesterol were still significantly different among the three groups, even after adjustment for age and monthly income. The LA group ate less fruit and fish than the LS or LC group (p < 0.05). The LA group showed the lowest dietary diversity and the LS group showed the highest diversity (p = 0.014), however, the significance of dietary diversity score among the three groups disappeared after adjustment for age and monthly income. Conclusion: Elderly women living with spouse were receiving better nutrition than elderly women living alone or living with children. Therefore, solitary elderly women who do not live with their spouse or children should be offered greater opportunities to receive a balanced meal at a congregational kitchen or welfare center. To ensure their healthy diet, it is essential to provide continuous nutrition education with these groups in mind.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.29-38
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to examine the spouse effects on depressive symptom and suicidal thinking among the elderly aged 65 and over in Korea. The subjects selected from the database of the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES IV) conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2007 to 2009. Those who were female, older, lower educated, or poorer were more likely to live alone than their counterparts respectively. The elderly living alone experienced depressive symptom as 2.0 times(OR=2.004, 95% CI=1.433, 2.803) as, and suicidal thinking as 1.6 times(OR=1.567, 95% CI=1.111, 2.211) as the elderly couples did, adjusting for socio-economic factor, health status factors, and health behaviors factors. As for the male subgroup, the elderly living alone experienced depressive symptom as 4.0 times(OR=3.997, 95% CI=2.066, 7.732) as, and suicidal thinking as 3.2 times(OR=3.181, 95% CI=1.535, 6.592) as the elderly couples did. On the other hands, there was no significant difference in depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking between the female elderly living alone and couples. The authors suggested policy interventions to promote the mental health of the male elderly living alone.