• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2007

According to the 2005 Korean census, the 65 and over population now exceeds 9.5% of the total population and is growing rapidly. Meeting elderly environment and care needs of this rapidly growing segment of the population becomes a major challenge for public policies and planners. Since great deal amount of elderly will reside in their houses, aging in place concept becomes important. For the success of aging in place, the quality of individual house unit, community support systems, and quality of senior center of the community are crucial. Since elderly environments and facilities serve not only medical and/or care programs but also social activity program in aging society, senior centers need to promote social activities and other care programs. The purpose of this study is to analyze characteristics of environmental affordance of a well received senior center in Tokyo, Japan. In order to analyze the characteristics, Murtha & Lee user benefit criteria and Lawton's environmental affordance approaches were used. As results, design characteristics and interior elements which provide environmental affordance were enumerated by type of space. Based on needs and user benefit criteria, those features were analyzed. This study shows design characteristics, elements, and attributes which are well received and utilized by elderly users.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2011

Purpose: Although the risk factors of metabolic syndrome have been extensively studied, the association between osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome has remained unclear in Korean elderly women. Yet to be determined are the effect of risk factors of metabolic syndrome on osteoporosis in these subjects. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the risk factors of metabolic syndrome affect the bone mineral density in Korean elderly women. Methods: One hundred twenty one elderly women from a community center in Seoul elderly welfare center participated in this study. A structured questionnare was used to assess their demographics and lifestyles. Participants' anthropometric information was also obtained by measuring heights, weights, and waist circumferences. The blood samples were also obtained to measure blood glucoses and blood lipids. Bone mineral density was measured with the use of ultra sono. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our subjects was 58%. In multivariate regression analysis, fasting plasma glucose level (p=.036) and triglycerides (p=.006) were significant factors predicting bone mineral density after adjusting age and other factors of metabolic syndrome. In age-adjusted analysis, women with metabolic syndrome had significantly higher bone mineral density as compared to those without metabolic syndrome (p=.026). Conclusion: Bone mineral density among elderly Korean women is associated with the level of blood glucose and triglycerides.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.79-84
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• 2022

This study analyzed the relationship between supervision and job commitment of the elderly leisure welfare center employees and the mediating effect of professionalism perception. The survey was conducted of 267 employees in 15 facilities located in Daejeon and Chungnam. The main methods were confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling analysis using SPSS and AMOS. The analysis results showed that the relationship between supervision and job commitment and the mediating effect of professionalism perception were verified. For activating the supervision, it is necessary to strengthen the educational supervision, systematize the supervision, and strengthen the supervisor education. To raise the professionalism perception, programs such as awards for outstanding manpower, social support, and employee education considering clients are needed. It is expected that studies on various variables for human resource management including job commitment for elderly leisure facility employees will be continued.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.699-709
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• 2019

Various health and social issues related to the elderly are emerging in line with the rapid aging of the population. In particular, dementia currently has a prevalence of about 10 percent of the elderly population in South Korea, which increases financial and social burdens to not only individual patients but also their caring family. To assess the effects of participating in the forest therapy programs for dementia prevention, this study recruited participants aged 50 and above and tested their depression (Korean form of Geriatric Depression Scale; KGDS) and stress response (Modified form of Stress Response Inventory; SRI-MF), which are emotional aspects of dementia. As a result, KGDS showed a significant decrease of 3.2 points from 8.4 to 5.2 points, and SRI-MF showed a significant decrease of 7.2 points from 40 to 32.8 points, indicating a statistically significant improvement in both. In addition, participants with minor depression and high level of stress in the pretest showed statistically significant improvements in the SRI-MF for men, and the KGDS and SRI-MF for women. Furthermore, there were statistically significant improvements in KGDS for participants in their 60s and in SRI-MF for those in their 70s in terms of age, and in both KGDS and SRI-MF for participants with chronic diseases and in KGDS for participants without chronic diseases. This study confirmed the effects of forest therapy on the prevention of the emotional aspects of dementia and laid the groundwork for increasing the applicability of forest therapy by obtaining a place for dementia prevention as a field of forest therapy.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the personal factors affecting the ideation of suicide to identify the risk factors of suicide and to provide basic data for suicide prevention. The study subjects were 260 elderly people aged 65 or older who use the elderly general welfare center, the elderly classroom, and the senior club living in Jecheon City. The results of this study showed that personal factors affecting the idea of suicide in the elderly were significant in psychological factors such as stress, depression and loneliness. This means that the higher the stress, depression, and loneliness, the higher the elderly's suicide thought. In addition, the most influential factors in the idea of suicide of the elderly were stress, followed by loneliness and depression. Based on these findings, first, psychological treatment and prevention programs are needed to prevent suicide in the elderly. Second, it is necessary to expand the mental health support system, education and service for the elderly. Third, it is necessary to develop and disseminate stress coping, easing and arbitration programs.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.35
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• pp.315-338
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to propose actual operation condition of Japanese lecture based on social welfare organizations located in Seoul to investigate the current status and problems of Japanese language education in terms of lifelong education. According to the result of this study, the remarkable point was that a majority of Japanese lecture courses are highly focused on the elderly and 86% of the welfare organizations are providing free education. Regarding the effect of specialized business for the aged run by social welfare community center, it says, as Korea changing to aging society at the beginning of 21st century, it has put focus on strengthening personal competences of seniors through opportunities for participation in lifelong education, recreational activity programs and culture classes. It means foreign language classes are operating as one of the lifelong education programs for reinforcement of individual capability. Considering this tendency, it is expected that the lifelong education participation rate of the elder in Seoul will be raised. So, systematic improvements will be needed for this. First, it is required to recognize the existence of Educational and Cultural Industry and work hard to make it public so it could be invigorated and utilized by people usefully at the same time. Second, Japanese language training that mostly 55-year-old or more than 60-year-old people receive at the welfare center needs to be systematized for preparations on proper studying environment which provides the older with appropriate education method and content as well. Third, stable and systematic operation should be available through the link with experts in the field of Japanese language education and elderly education. Fourth, education program development is needed, which is able to satisfy one's desires for learning. Hence, targeting Japanese learners at each welfare center, we need to know the estimation of satisfaction degree and consciousness on learning Japanese. Finally, it has not been studied sufficiently regarding the instructors on teaching Japanese language in this paper, but it has been reported that most of social welfare centers, where Japanese language lectures are provided, are run by volunteers who can teach Japanese. Thus, the study on actual condition for Japanese language instructors will be conducted as well later on.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.510-520
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• 2002

Purpose: This study was to identify nursing interventive strategies centering around the meaning structure of elderly women self-esteem. Method: This study is based on a phenomenological approach. The participants were 6 women over the age of 65 selected in Mullae Senior Club or Yeongdeungpo Senior Welfare Center. The data was collected by in-depth and open- ended interviews from May to September, 2001. The analysis of the data was used the phenomenological analytic method suggested by Giorgi(1970). Result: Two essential themes in the selfesteem of relationships the elderly women emerged: (1) Self-identification through human relations: (2) The ability for self-control. Conclusion: There is a variety of programs and social meetings to confirm self and support systems, whether on the governmental level or the personal level, to help the ability for self-control should be expected to live a more qualitative life and successful aging for elderly women. In addition, this study will offer a better understanding of elderly women within the social and cultural context of South Korea.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the horticultural therapy program on patients with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia depending on the frequency and duration of the interventions. We developed the same 15-session program to improve cognitive functions and life satisfaction and alleviate depression of the elderly women with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia. Subjects in Longer Treatment group participated in the program once a week for 15 weeks and subjects in Shorter Tratmet group participated twice a week for 7½ weeks. This study conducted pretest-posttest verification of both groups using quasi-experimental design involving 21 subjects. Elderly life satisfaction, Geriatric Depression Scale (short form), and the Korean Version of Consortium to Establish a Registry of Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-K) were used in the evaluation. As a result, both groups showed an increase in life satisfaction, and a decrease in depression. However, there was a significant difference in the changes of the CERAD-K scores between the two groups (p < .05). In Longer Treatment group, life satisfaction increased significantly (p < .001), and depression decreased at a marginally significant level (p = .068), but no statistically significant change was observed in neurocognitive function. In Shorter Treatment group, life satisfaction increased at a marginally significant level (p = .059), and depression and CERAD-K scores decreased significantly (p < .05). However, in the case of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K), there was no significant change in both groups. According to these results, when planning a horticultural therapy program for persons with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia, it is effective to organize and execute the program by determining the duration of intervention as 3 to 4 months or longer, even if this reduces the number of interventions per week.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.23-42
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify the social networks used by the rural elderly and to analyze the effects of these social networks on the need for life services. The research subjects were 1,000 people aged 65 years and over living in the rural areas of Korea. Among the total 1,000 respondents, 979 elderly who have children were included in this study. The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, and multiple regression analysis. The results of this study were as follows. First, the frequency of contact with friends/neighbors was higher than that of children, whereas the social support of children was higher than that of friends/neighbors(excluding physical support). Second, the rate of use of home services and the elderly welfare center was very low. Promotion, a minimum cost burden, convenient transportation (circulation bus operation, etc.), and the provision of visiting services are examples of ways to be using them much more. Third, the elderly who do not live with their children have a higher need for life services. As well unlike the elderly who live with their children, in the case of the elderly who do not live with their children, the necessity for life services was influenced not only by their children but also by the relationship with their friends/neighbors and by home services. This implies that comprehensive social networks are important for the elderly who do not live with their children. Therefore, it is necessary to activate the social support of the community as well as of children and friends/neighbors.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.557-571
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• 1998

The purpose of the study is (i) to investigate the operating situation of physical therapy department in public health centers, (ii) to analyze the difference of elderly satisfaction from non-elderly satisfaction of physical therapy services among the public health center visitors, and finally (iii) to suggest facilitating improvement on programs that can supply the elderly health service through public health centers. A questionnaire survey was carried out 212 patients of 25 public health center in Seoul, Korea from 15 July to 10 August 1996. Major results of the study are as follows : 1. Among the respondents. the largest group was the elderly who are over 65 years old (72.6%). 2. The averge of general patients' satisfaction for physical therapy services was 3.98, especially fee of treatment(4.76), attitude of physical therapist(4.33), and reliance of physical therapist(4.20) were higher by 5-score Likert scale. 3. The correlation factors with general patients' satisfaction were process of treatment (r =.6301). results of treatment(r=. 6186), and guide facilities(r=.5999). 4. The results of multiple-regression analysis between general patients' satisfaction and affecting factors identify following variables as the statically significant determinants : general stisfaction comparing with other physical therapy services, physical therapy services using forwardly, fee of treatment. 5. There was no significant defference between elderly and non-elderly patients' satisfaction of physical therapy service, except attitude of physical therapist(t=-2.07), explanation of treatment for disease(t=-2.19), fee of treatment(t=6.29).