• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.228-249
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• 2018

In 2015, the population of elderly people in Thailand was 16% of the total population and is predicted to be over 20% by 2021 and nearly 28% by 2031. The increase of the elderly population in Thailand has also increased the proportion of dependent elderly people, and caring for them poses many challenges for both families and the government. This descriptive method research aimed to survey the health status of dependent older people in the rural community of Lampang province in northern Thailand. The participants consisted of 62 older people and 62 primary family caregivers from Hong Ha Health Promoting Hospital, Lampang, Thailand (totaling 124 people). The researchers assessed the health status of older people and their activities of daily living (ADL). In addition, researchers assessed the health status and stress of caregivers. All the participants were interviewed about their experiences with caregiving. The results showed that most of the older respondents were female with an average age of 78.15 years. Based on the ADL assessment, 50 of the 62 older persons were homebound while the rest were bedridden. The majority of older people had chronic or long-term conditions that required hospitalization from time to time. Their frequent health problems included oral disorders such as tooth decay or caries/gum disease/no teeth, reduced sight, psychological disorders, knee pain and risk of falling, low BMI, risk of malnutrition, and urinary leakage and incontinence (58.06%, 66.13%, 62.90%, 70.97%, 38.71%, 66.13%, and 37.10%, respectively). Usual care provided by the family members included personal hygiene care, food preparation and feeding, medication management, housekeeping and organizing necessary equipment, supply of needed equipment, prevention of falls, helping with travel for medical checkups and treatment, and providing companionship. Families experienced shortages of medical supplies, daily use equipment, lack of employment, inadequate income, and difficulty accessing health care services due to lack of transportation. Some caregivers experienced caregiving stress related to a lack of social interactions as well as routine caregiving activities. Families need different types of support in order to promote the well-being of older people and caregivers. This highlights the need for a community participation model for the care of older people in order to reflect sustainable long-term outcomes.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2014

In this study, we investigate characteristics of fall, requirements toward the impact protective clothing, design preferences, etc. to develop the fall impact protective clothing for the silver-aged women. Among the 242 women respondents aging 50s to 70s, 43% experienced the fall in recent 2 years. It is found that the fall mostly occurred in winter season and happened during the regular activities such as walking outside, going up and down stairs. Most of the respondents have no experience buying the impact protective clothing, but they expressed the fall impact protective clothing would help reducing the injury from falls. Moreover, the intention to purchase the impact protective clothing is increasing with an increasing target age. However, the respondents concerned with increasing volume and weight of clothing by the protecting pad inserted into the clothing. The respondents also claimed that the impact protecting clothing should not interfere with their regular physical activities. The survey showed that respondents preferred to embed the impact protective function in pants as a form of the protective clothing. For the design preferences on the pants, casual style and straight silhouette was preferred and stretch fabric was selected. The respondents preferred underwear made of cotton spandex blend with relaxed fit.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to use of restraints for older adults with dementia in long-term care settings. Methods: This study analyzed secondary data from the Nationwide Survey on Dementia Care in Korea (NaSDeCK). Demographic characteristics, disease characteristics, and functional characteristics were analyzed. Data were analyzed with χ² test, t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis. Results: Among participants, 8.2% experienced use of restraints. 'Strap' (78.3%) was the most commonly used restraint and 'Behavioral problem' (51.3%) was a major reason for the restraint. Persons who have low levels of daily activity and cognition deficits, higher levels of dependence, histories of falls within the past 3 months, and living in long-term hospitals have greater probability of restraint experience. Conclusion: Developing interventions for older adults who have a high risk of being restrained is essential to minimize unnecessary restraint use among older adults with dementia in long-term care settings. Further study exploring the interacting roles of organizational and staff factors related to use of physical restraints would provide more comprehensive perspectives in understanding this phenomenon.