• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.381-391
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• 2023

This study was conducted to analyze relationships between depression indices, mini nutritional assessment scores, and nutritional quotients among 80 elderly in Yangpyeong-gun and to identify factors that help prevent depression and malnutrition. Nutrition assessment scores were low in the high-risk group (PHQ-9 score ≥10), and nutritional quotient scores were lower in the high-risk group than in the normal group (PHQ-9 score ≤4). Interestingly, the consumption frequencies of fruits, eggs, and nuts were low in the high-risk group, and subjective health awareness, dental condition, and sleep were poorer. The total PHQ-9 score was correlated with malnutrition, body mass index, calf circumference, weight change, independent daily living, reduced meal amount, water intake, and the need for help when eating. Analysis of correlations between items of the PHQ-9 and nutritional status evaluation indices showed that a self-perceived feeling of depression, low energy, difficulty controlling sleep or appetite, negative thoughts (e.g., failure, disappointment), and difficulty concentrating were negatively correlated with total nutritional status scores. These results show that attention is required when food or water intake decreases and that deviation from normal sleep and appetite cycles flags the need to prepare guidelines to prevent depression.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.507-515
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• 2020

The children's park, which was created uniformly during the industrialization period, is less utilized and is mainly used by the elderly during the day. In addition, sports facilities and rest facilities for the elderly are being installed, damaging the essence of children's parks. The main purpose of this study was to present the creation of a children's park that was appropriate to its essence and the utilization plan for the elderly. In this study, we conduct a survey to identify citizens' perception of children's parks and found that the opinions of children and the elderly were generally different. Children want to change and enjoy various games, while older people want to enjoy various programs while maintaining the status quo. As above, children do not dislike using the park with the elderly, but hope to create a separate park if possible. Meanwhile, the elderly want to renovate the current children's park and continue to use it. Therefore, in the future, some areas of children's parks will be created for the elderly or the entire area will be changed into small parks for the elderly, considering the location characteristics and population distribution of children's parks. In addition, the government should prepare measures for the introduction of programs for the elderly or maintenance using the elderly.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.50-61
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• 2015

Advances in healthcare technology and rapid economic growth lead to the increased life expectancy and consequently the size of elderly population. Korea is one of the countries that are rapidly aging. Thus, it is particularly important to prepare for the aging society. Recently, the number of healthcare institutions for the elderly citizens has increased. The purpose of selecting a hospital for the elderly is, in general, maintenance of health rather than improvement of health receiving proper treatment. Unlike choosing a hospital for treatment, customers of a long term care hospital have a different set of factors to consider. Especially, when choosing a long term care hospital, the influence of patient's family is greater than the patient. This study examines the factors they consider for long term care hospital. A total of 198 questionnaires were collected from the families of actual patients of long term care hospitals. Twelve questionnaires were found to be non-usable because of missing and unsatisfactory responses. Consequently, 186 questionnaires were used for the analyses. Findings of this study are as follows. First, seven factors have been identified to consider when choosing a long term care hospital for the elderly. They include convenience of facilities, costs variety of facility programs, service hours, reputation, accessibility, quality of medical staff, medical facilities, and facility size. Second, This study measured both importance and satisfaction with these attributes and analyzed the difference between them. Satisfaction was lower than importance in the categories of convenience of facilities, costs, and programs, and accessibility. On the other hand, satisfaction was higher in terms of service hours, reputation, and quality of medical staff. Finally, the current study found positive impact of accessibility and quality of medical staff on reuse intention of a long term care hospital.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2012

The Korean government required the mandatory ratio of public housing including the housing unit for elderly in February 2012 and the number of them is expected to increase accordingly. To prepare for an aged society, these enabling ubiquitous technology will be able to support efficient health care services, which was mentioned in various studies. Therefore, the aim of this study is to draw the design elements for an apartment for providing health care services according to the degree of independence of elderly people and to grasp the current situation and work out tactics by the evaluation of four actual cases. In housing unit in the elderly housing project, design elements supporting amenity improvement was rated to the highest importance, however, in reality, was reflected at lower rate while the risk management plan for public space was applied at the highest rate. Design elements required by new technology such as health monitoring and community management with outside world are still not reflected, however, in order to realize the concept of 'aging in place', health care services in various aspects should be considered in housing planning.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.10
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• pp.205-214
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• 2021

This study is to investigate the relationship between the subjective mastication level of the elderly wearing denture and their satisfaction with dentures. The data was analyzed on 212 denture-wearing elderly people over the age of 65 living in Daejeon, Nonsan, Gongju, and Cheonan from November 22, 2019 to January 21, 2020. As a result of the survey, the higher the subjective mastication level, the more regular dental visits related to dentures showed that the denture satisfaction increases, as the dentures wearing period increases showed that the decrease in denture satisfaction. Based on the above results, it is required to prepare a denture follow-up management program and a denture repair cost support policy to improve the subjective mastication level and denture satisfaction of the elderly with dentures.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.171-180
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of oral care behavior, oral health care self-efficacy, and social support on the subjective oral health level of the elderly. The data survey was conducted from September 17, 2019 to November 22, 2019 for the elderly living in Daejeon Metropolitan City and parts of Chungcheongnam-do, and the collected data were analyzed by 𝑥2-test, Pearson correlation analysis, and logistic regression analysis. As a result of the survey, subjective oral health level increased by 3.242 times when dentures were not used and 2.339 times when the number of brushings per day was 3 or more times. In addition, as the oral health care self-efficacy and social support increased 1.755 times and 1.192 times, respectively, the subjective oral health level also increased. Based on the above results, in order to improve the subjective oral health level of the elderly, opportunities for oral health education such as denture care methods and toothbrushing lessons should be expanded. In addition, there is a need to prepare policies to reinforce oral health care self-efficacy and social support.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.325-347
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• 2010

To provide a satisfactory life for the elderly females who are the most impoverished among the elderly social strata, this study is geared towards, and focused on, the exploration on their attitudes towards death. For the purpose of this study, in-depth interviews with females aged 65 and over, who are officially classified as the beneficiary of national fundamental livelihood security, have been conducted. Then, the results from these interviews have been compiled and analyzed through qualitative research methods. As a result of this research, the attitudes of the destitute elderly females towards death are categorized into several themes, such as 'Feeling close to the death through a hard life', 'Positive acceptance of the death', 'Relying on funeral services from government and religious organization', 'Hoping for a death with dignity'. The attitudes of death means to them that 'they can get out of a hard life', and elderly female beneficiaries were positive in their acceptance of this meaning. Those who could obtain funeral services as a part of assistance from government and a religious organization did not feel stressful about their funeral arrangements. However, there were individuals who didn't know if their funeral services would be covered by the government. They were unsure if a funeral service would be held for them, or they would have nobody to hold a funeral for them. Accordingly, they were worried about that. The poor elderly females were unhealthy and indigent, and so, they had death anxiety. Therefore, based on the study results above, some ideas regarding elderly welfare are proposed to enable poor elderly females to face their deaths with dignity.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.167-187
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• 2000

The rates and numbers of elderly suicide in Korea have been increased during 1985-1998. This indicates the seriousness of the problems which the elderly are faced with. So many late-life problems may push older people across the edges. Those in unbearable situations may call out fur helps, they may try to cope with various ways, or they may commit suicides. Because it is widely believed that suicide among the elderly can be understood as a personal solution or alternative to late-life problems in old age, the elderly\`s suicides seem to be an appropriate indicator in estimating seriousness of late-life problems. A comparison of the history of suicide research with other populations shows that the several late-life problems have been found with placing an individual elder at risks for increasing suicidal behaviors Research has identified such problems as financial insecurity, retirement, loss of social roles, physical illness, lack of social supports, and loneliness as the problems that increase the incidence of suicidal behavior. Though it is difficult far us to explain and understand the phenomenon of the elderly\`s suicide because of its complexity, we need to ascertain problems and social conditions behind suicides and also to prepare for some appropriate policy-tasks in light of social welfare for the aged, through examining the phenomenon. For explaining the elderly\`s suicide, the theoretical orientations are based on sociological perspectives in the paper. From the standpoints of social integration theory and exchange theory, this study is to examine the relationship between late-life problems and suicide. These two may have been fruitfully employed in conjunction with each other. Finally, this study would identify urgent late-life problems related with the elderly\`s suicide and suggest the relevant policies for Korean elders. Sometime in the near future, the government should be required to provide social welfare programs for the elderly, particularly for those at risk for increasing suicidal behaviors.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.413-425
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• 2011

Purpose: This study conducted a survey on the elderly with physical debilities, who are in a medically vulnerable social class, to examine closely their demo-sociological characteristics, unmet needs, dental states, and living qualities and satisfaction levels relating to oral health and social supports to them, and also to prepare the basis for effective public medical policies and health improvement programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the elderly with physical debilities. Methods: Twenty-two elderly care facilities within Jeju Special Self-Government Province participated in the survey. Between 11 January and 5 March 2010, a total of 250 elderly persons(65 and over) with physical debilities were interviewed and their dental health was checked. Results: The results of the survey are as follows. The need for social support for dental care of the elderly with physical debilities was high in the medical institution-supported service (49.6%). The unmet needs for physical care were high in bathing (49.6%) and using public transportation (71.6%). More than half of these surveyed had ten or fewer teeth. The survey found that 31.6% of the participants experienced problems eating, due to poor dental health. Concerning quality of life, 30.5% of those surveyed experienced physical pain. Conclusion: In summary, the ages of the survey participants directly relates to the degree of behavioral debility experienced. The more debility a participant exhibits, the greater is the need for social support and dental care. The dental health of a participant directly relates to a higher quality of life. Good dental health of a participant translate to better quality of life. In light of the fact that the elderly with physical debilities suffer from a lack of accessibility to medical care and worse oral health than do other elderly persons, it is essential to increase accessibility to medical institutions that can provide such services as door to door dental care. Current insurance policies, funding for denture insurance, and free denture and denture-upgrade programs desperately need to be expanded. Therefore, to improve effectively the quality of life for the elderly with physical debilities civil dental medical resources should be encouraged to provide inclusive and prevention-focused medical care. In the public domain, door to door dental care services and cooperation with civil dental care resources need to be improved to increase impartial accessibility to dental medical institutions.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.68-84
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• 2020

This study analyzed the relationship between spatial characteristics and heat waves in the distribution area of the elderly population in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do. For analysis, the Statistics Census data, the Ministry of Environment land cover, Landsat 8 surface temperature, and the Meteorological Agency's heat wave days data were used. The spatial characteristics of the distribution of the elderly population was classified into 5 types through K-mean cluster analysis considering the land use types. The characteristics of the elderly population by spatial type were higher in the urbanized type(cluster-3), but the proportion of the elderly population was higher in the agricultural and forest area types(cluster-1, cluster-2). In the characteristics of the surface temperature and the heat wave days, the surface temperature was the highest in the urban area, but heat wave days were the highest in the rural area. As a result of analyzing the heat wave characteristics according to the spatial type of the distribution area of elderly population, cluster-2 with the largest area in agricultural areas was highest at 15.95 days, and cluster-3 with a large area in urbanized types was the lowest at 9.41 days and 9.18 days. In other words, the elderly population living in rural areas is more exposed to heat waves than the elderly population living in urban areas, and the damage is expected to increase. The results of this study could be used as basic data to prepare various policy measures for effective management and prevention of vulnerable areas in summer.