• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.375-389
• /
• 2014

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop medical services for the elderly and qualitatively enhance physical therapy for them by analyzing korean students' knowledge of the elderly. METHODS: A total of 1027 male/female undergraduate students majoring in physical therapy were selected to examine the knowledge of the elderly. The knowledge of physical, psychological, and social aspects were investigated and measured by FAQ I of palmore (1988) and a scale developed by Yunjin et al. (1982). T-test, One-way-ANOVA and Scheff test were used. RESULTS: The percentage of the students who correctly answered the questions on the elderly was 53.6%. In particular, the higher error rates were seen in the social (56.9%) and psychological (57.6%) aspects compared in the physical (33.7%) aspects. Those who answered the questions correctly were over 30s (63.69%, p=0.000), seniors (57%, p=0.000)and grown in cities (53.91%, p=0.001). In addition, students who took lessons on the elderly (57.71%, p=0.032)and had experiences in voluntary services (54.09%, p=0.023) were significantly higher in answering the questions correctly. CONCLUSION: When students learned about the elderly, social and psychological aspects should be reinforced. The knowledge levels of the elderly can be elevated though voluntary services. It is thought that a follow-up study would be continuously neede to improve physical therapists' knowledge on the elderly and quality of available services.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2000

The growing population of the elderly who have diverse health needs is receiving more attention from the health promotion field. This paper describes some of the findings of quantitative study into the health function of Korean immigrant elderly living in Washington State of Northwest America. One hundred-two community-dwelling Korean immigrant elderly, aged from 65 to 93 with a mean 77.97 years, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire to report their health function defined in three domains; perceived health status, physical functioning, and psychosocial functioning. The main results of the study were identified: (a) Overall, Korean immigrant elderly's perceived health status and physical functioning were good, but psychosocial functioning was poor; (b) Elderly with higher health functioning scores perceived better health status. Data indicates that health functioning measures are good indicators of the degree of perceived need for immigrant elderly. The paper argues that the understanding of physical and psychosocial functioning of elderly is vitally important in the provision of health care.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2017

Background: Given the potential benefits of wellness programs promoting physical activity of the community-dwelling frail elderly, it is recommended that comprehensive wellness programs combined with the component of physical activity. This may improve overall health and potentially lower the health care cost of the frail elderly. In general, the frail elderly residing in community or those after being discharged from hospitals are often committed to enhancing the status of participation in physical activity. Objects: The purposes of this study were to identify specific shortcomings of current wellness programs as part of continuum of community rehabilitation services and to propose alternatives for the care of the community-dwelling frail elderly. Through this study, geriatric health care professionals may be able to implement assessments and programs to successfully promote an effective continuum of care for the frail elderly. Methods: Article reviews were summarized and evaluated. Results: A model elaborating the relationship between components of successful wellness program and participation in physical activities for the community-dwelling frail elderly are recommended. First, periodic monitoring the levels of physical activity by the use of online measurement system should be considered. Second, individualized adaptive technologies for selecting optimal physical activities for the elderly may be better fit to individuals' current status of physical activity. Conclusion: The current status of physical activity in community-dwelling frail elderly can be monitored by online assessment systems. Through the innovative measurement system, elderly may assess his/her physical activity status overtime, select optimal physical activities matching the status, and create the elderly's own adaptive wellness programs that match to the status while residing in his/her community.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.15-30
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study is to examine how the rural elderly assess the multi-dimensions of health. This includes the physical, mental and social dimensions of health, correlations among them, and whether there are gender differences and age-group (60's, 70's, 80 and over) differences. For this purpose, survey data was gathered from 881 rural elderly who live in a village. The statistical methods used for data analysis were descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and correlations. The major findings of this study are as follows: Physical health was measured by self-rated health, ADL, IADL, and farmer symptoms. The respondents classified as 80 and over and female perceived their physical health more negatively. Mental health was perceived somewhat positively in general but female participants perceived their mental health more negatively than males. Social health of the rural elderly was relatively positive in comparison to the other dimensions of health. The rural elderly engaged in many social activities, and the majority of them had many social support networks composed of more than 12 persons. Relationships among the physical, mental and social health dimensions were different. The correlation of physical and mental health and the correlation of social and psychological health were statistically significant. However, the correlation of physical and social health had no significant meanings.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.49-60
• /
• 2001

This research examined elderly’s quality of life(q/l). In order to explore the elderly’s q/l, it was conceptualized into 8 dimensions tapping macro and micro aspects of elderly’s life: physical & mental health, self-esteem, anxiety, social support, family solidarity, economic state, and physical environment. The primary purposes were to describe dimensions of q/l by the elderly’s sociodemographic variables. And the intercorrelations among q/l dimensions were examined and then the effects of q/l sub-dimensions on psychological well-being were analyzed by using multiple regression. Based on the data collected for 677 subjects residing in rural and urban areas, the basic issues hypothesized were explored. The findings appeared that the psychological well-being was a positive function of physical and mental health, self-esteem, social support, and economic state and a negative one of social anxiety, controlling for subjects’s sociodemographic variables.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.325-331
• /
• 2014

PURPOSE: Improving elderly people's balance ability through pilates which may be easily applied in ordinary life is considered an important intervention method for elderly people. Therefore, this study examines the effects of pilates training on elderly people's static and dynamic balance abilities and provides clinical data to improve this ability. METHODS: The pilates program was applied to 19 elderly subjects three times per week for 8 weeks. Their training level took into consideration their age and was set so that the rating scales of perceived exertion became 13 to 14. Prior to the initiation of the experiment, the subjects had an adaptation period in order to practice the order and motions of pilates. After the adaptation period, the subjects received training. The program was conducted three times per week, for eight weeks. Their dynamic balance ability was observed through the timed up and go (TUG) test and tandem walk test (TWT), and their static balance ability was evaluated by the center of pressure (COP) area, medial-lateral displacement, and anterior-posterior displacement. RESULTS: The results of the TUG test and TWT and evaluations of the COP area and medial-lateral displacement were significantly different after the pilates exercise program compared to those before the program began. CONCLUSION: The results show that an 8-week pilates exercise program is an effective method to increase elderly people's static and dynamic balance abilities. In addition, the application result of the pilates exercise program will provide useful information for future research on elderly people's balance ability.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.31-39
• /
• 2009

Population of senior citizens in Korea has been on the increase rapidly through decrease in population by falling birth rate and extension the average life span by development of medical technology and improving people's standard of living. As the booming population of senior citizens, it has appeared to problems of the elderly such as protection, health and supporting and welfare facilities for the elderly have increased there but it leaves something to be desired at plan and improvement of qualitative environment which the elderly's living space. It attaches importance to valuate about nursing homes such as management, quality of service, manufacture of physical environment and so on, so it is required to consider the elderly's emotion on environmental valuation. Healing environment that is a important fact of indoor environment operates powerfully upon the nursing homes as well as general medical facilities. It needs to healing environment for the elderly's physical health and mental stable life, we should know importance of healing environment that affects the elderly's health and life. The elderly have experienced physical, mental, and social changes with advancing years. The people who use the nursing homes are the elderly. We should find fact of healing environment as the elderly's characteristics and have to find healing environment that gives aid to the elderly's health in the nursing homes. In care for the elderly is not house care, it has focused on the elderly's health for improving their life and leading comfortable life.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.55-65
• /
• 2022

Elderly people with Parkinson's disease have higher rates of physical and mental risk factors for falls than non-Parkinson's disease elderly. The purpose of this study is to investigate this by using national data that includes the entire population of the elderly in Korea. As a secondary analysis study using data survey on the elderly by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2017, there were a total of 103 elderly people with Parkinson's disease, and a total of 96 subjects were analyzed excluding missing values. In the elderly with Parkinson's disease, the factor most influencing the fall was IADL, and IADL is related to motor control function. Decreased motor control limits physical movements essential for daily life, and even affects self-protective behavior in emergency situations, affecting falls. Based on the research results that IADL can affect falls, various exercise therapies for fall prevention interventions in the elderly with Parkinson's disease can be suggested.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the aquatic exercise program on lower muscle strength, balance and gait activity on 12 weeks aquatic exercise program in the elderly women. Methods : The Subjects in this study were 20 aged 70s who were long-term residents admitted to elderly nursing home of S, Gyeongsangnam province. They performed aquatic exercise programs 60-minute sessions, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The physical evaluation was used for measuring lower muscle strength, balance activity was used for measuring balance testing, and gait activity was used for measuring gait velocity and maximal step length evaluation. All data were analyzed by paired t-Test by SPSS(version18.0). P-values of <.05 were considered significant. Results : Lower extremity muscle strength, static dynamic balance and gait activity were significantly increased both in the exercise group and between groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that aquatic exercise program has an effect on lower extremity muscle strength, balance and gait activity of the elderly women. Therefore, it is considered as a safe and helpful self-support activity for the elderly people.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.49-56
• /
• 2012

Background : The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of ankle joint taping on balancing abilities of the elderly and to provide preliminary data on preventing falls among the elderly. Methods : In this study, 20 students(8 male, 12 female) in their 20s from D University as well as 14 elderly(4 male, 10 female) in their 70s from S community center have participated. The participants were well informed about the experiment and voluntarily participated. We measured the difference in balancing ability before and after taping between the two groups using methods such as standing on single-leg stance, TUG, and plantar pressure. Kinesio taping, a stop-watch, and the EMED-system were used as equipment along with the SPSS 12.0 program, with a significance level of 0.05, to test the difference before and after taping between the two groups. Result : First, the 70s group showed a significant increase in the dorsal flexion angle after taping. Second, the 70s group showed a significant increase in duration time of standing on one foot after taping. Third, the 70s group's TUG time was significantly shorter. Fourth, the maximum peak value for static and dynamic plantar pressure showed a significant decrease after taping; and dynamic plantar pressure area value decreased as well within significant range. Conclusion : The study has shown that taping is effective on static dynamic balancing ability of the elderly.