• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine satisfaction with counseling in long-term care service, and to compare the scores of counseling satisfaction according to variables among beneficiaries of Korean long-term care services. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by 445 beneficiaries of long-term care insurance to measure satisfaction with counseling. Research design was cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA for evaluating differences in satisfaction with counseling according to variables including economic status, the level of long-term care insurance approval, duration of long term care service, and conditions of counseling. Results: The score of satisfaction with counseling was somewhat high as 71.67. The score of counselor's attitude was highest among the subcategories of satisfaction. The factors that influenced satisfaction with counseling were frequency and time of counseling (F=12.19, p<.001). Conclusion: Home-based individual counseling is necessary for the elderly who need long-term care service. The National Long-term Care Insurance Corporation should offer counseling and assistance to elders and their caregivers about long term care insurance.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.71-80
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• 2017

Korea is facing various social problems including single elderly household, increase in the number of disabled people and poverty rate and a difference in the proportion of males to females between urban areas and rural areas along with the advent of rapid aging society. Especially, the ratio of poor households in rural areas residing in housing which falls below the minimum housing level and most of them are in the dead zone of housing welfare. In addition, if it is impossible for them to move (relocate) to new housing, the house remodeling is the only measure for improving their housing welfare. However, we don't have enough prior relevant academic and practical experience, and house remodeling requires a series of process including prior planning construction and post-occupancy evaluation, but almost no fundamental research that provides relevant insight has been carried out. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe all field situations that occur in the whole customized house remodeling process for disabled female senior citizens living alone in a rural area. The remodeling process was classified into initial planning stage, field verification and adjustment stage and construction stage as the method to participate in the field directly, and any change in the remodeling plan and its causes at each stage were analyzed. As a result, some remodeling items were changed from the main viewpoint of participating parties before the beginning of construction and for reasons such as the deterioration level of housing site, limitation in building equipment and rearrangement of housing, etc., and the remodeling method and its details were developed. It was identified that constant change that occurred in the remodeling process resulted from 1) unique poor characteristics of existing housing and 2) physical condition of residents and their unique lifestyle characteristics that were two aspects required to be emphasized by customized remodeling.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 2020

Objectives: This study explored the community food environmental factors affecting food purchasing using a qualitative research methodology for the elderly as well as the various food environments under their socioeconomic diversity. Methods: For the qualitative data collection, this study interviewed 20 elderly people aged 65 years or more, who participated in a public health program or lunch services operated by the senior welfare center in Seoul. Five dimensions, such as availability, physical accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and accommodation suggested in previous studies, were used to identify the community food environmental factors. Results: The elderly participants showed overall similarities to the concepts derived from existing studies on the five dimensions of food accessibility environment. In addition, other important food accessibility environmental factors that were not present in previous studies, such as acceptability for a product of domestic origin, delivery service to home, and small-packaged food sales, were derived. On the other hand, the concept of some subjects differed depending on the household income and specifically for the physical accessibility concept. This showed that the close distance factor from a grocery store at home might not apply to older adults in low-income households in Korea. Conclusions: This study found that five dimensions of the food environment suggested by previous studies could also be applied to vulnerable older adults in Korea. On the other hand, the socioeconomic characteristics of individuals and households would affect the perspectives of their local food environments differently. The findings of this study could help in the development of tools for evaluating the community food environment.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.5 s.83
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• pp.113-128
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• 2006

This study was to verify the effectiveness of the Life Review-Narrative group therapy program on decreasing depression and death anxiety in the elderly. The program was organized according to a course of life from childhood to old age. The objectives were for the elderly to enhance self-worth, to become aware of their solitary existence, to accept aging and death, to accept the life: both past and present, and to make the most of experiences in overcoming difficulties. For the most part, the program used reminiscence and re-authoring of the narrative therapy as counseling techniques. Thirty-two elderly people(16 in the experimental group, 16 in the control group) aged 60 years and over were randomly selected from patients at the Daegu Metropolitan City General Welfare Center. Two groups were identified as equivalents for the study in the pre-test. The program for the experimental group was implemented twice a week for 90 minutes per session over a 6-week period(Sep. 8-Oct.14. 2005). The pre-test(Sep. 8 2005), the post-test(Oct. 14. 2005) and the follow-up test(Nov. 14. 2005) were implemented in order to verify the effectiveness of the programs. The instruments used in the study were the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form(Korean Version) and the Death Anxiety Scale. The data were analyzed using t-testing and One-Factor Repeated Measures ANOVA. This study supplemented other qualitative research methods in order to verify the variation in the depression and death anxiety in the elderly. The findings of the study were as follows: Significant decrease in the depression and death anxiety were reported in the experimental group. The control group however did not show any significant changes in the depression and death anxiety rates. The result of the post hoc multiple comparisons showed that the effects of the life review-narrative group therapy program has lasted effects on decreasing of the death anxiety. Nevertheless, the effects of the life review-narrative group therapy program on decreasing depression are not lasting. The study has limitations so further research is suggested.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.118-128
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of internet usage, selfefficacy, and self-esteem of the elderly. Method: Study participants were 139 older than 60 years of age who had used internet and could access internet anytime at home. Data were collected from March to September, 2009 by using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using PASW/WIN 18.0 program. Results: The meantime of internet use was 8.74 hours per week, frequently used web-site was 'Newspaper and magazine', and subjects mainly used internet 'not to fall behind the times'. The mean score of internet use capability was 2.42, among theses the score of 'Searching necessary information' was the highest. The internet use capability of the subjects was significantly different in terms of education level, spouse, economic status, and the length of use. The mean scores of self-efficacy and self-esteem were $28.22{\pm}4.42$ and $28.51{\pm}4.25$, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that the elderly people use internet not to fall behind the times but they have enough capability to use internet searching or e-mailing. Also, it is true that there are many influencing factors on internet use and capability of the elderly. Therefore, it is needed to investigate the internet use of the elderly more closely.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.48-60
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• 2011

Purpose: The number of people using the internet to meet their health information needs is growing. However, little is known about the characteristics of the senior internet health information seeker. The purpose of this study was to identify the socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, as well as the internet health information seeking behaviors and attitudes in the elderly. Method: Data was collected from 385 elderly subjects(aged 55 years or older) and living in Seoul and Gyeonggi. We used questionnaires developed by researchers in this study. Data was analyzed using the following methods: descriptive statistics, t-test, $X^2$-test and Fisher's exact test. All statistical tests were performed using the SAS version 9.13. Results: The elderly using the internet to seek health information had relatively good subjective health and were living with a spouse. In general, the purpose of internet use was to search for information, and mainly used at home. The search in the disease management area was higher than the frequency of searches for health promotion. The elderly showed a generally positive attitude regarding health information. Conclusion: It is needed to increase the use of the Internet for finding health information and promote accessibility for internet health information in the elderly.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.617-627
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and depression on the life satisfaction of the rural elderly. The research subjects of this study were 1,000 people aged 65 years and over living in the rural areas of Korea. The data were collected using a questionnaire with direct interviews and analyzed using SPSS ver. 18.0 for Windows. The results of this study were as follows: First, the rural elderly's depression was affected by the IADL, cost of living, education level, and farming variables. The higher the IADL, the more sufficient the cost of living, the higher the education level and the more the farming time that the rural elderly had, the lower was the level of depression that they had. Second, the life satisfaction of the rural elderly was affected by the cost of living, depression, IADL, need for life services, and gender. The more sufficient the cost of living, the lower the level of depression, the higher the IADL, the less the need for life services, the higher was the life satisfaction that they experienced. Third, the results of the path analysis revealed that life satisfaction was influenced both directly and indirectly. The factors that affected life satisfaction directly were the cost of living, IADL, need for life services, and gender. The factors that affect life satisfaction indirectly were the IADL, cost of living, education level, and farming. Among them, farming and education level influenced life satisfaction indirectly through the parameter variables of depression.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.23-41
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to explore social supports for elderly housing and their residential lives in small cities along rural counties of the United States and Canada, and suggest future implications for age-concentrated rural villages in Korea. In this study, five small and medium cities in non-metropolitan counties of California and Ontario province were visited and elderly residents and service experts were interviewed about their perceptions of community integrated social support networks for senior residences. The senior housing complexes were built due to influx of both metropolitan and rural residents seeking warm localities, traffic connections, business purposes in active production areas. and leisure attractions. There are five main social support networks for senior housing issues in these areas. First, the areas are claimed for senior zones and accordingly health industries are encouraged by local authorities. Second, the community is homogeneously constructed as a senior friendly environment and include features such as an RV park and mobile cottages. Third, senior-helping seniors are offered active work through golf-cluster active retirement communities. Fourth, traditional theme production camps are mobilized by the elderly workers. Lastly, an information system is maintained for screening volunteers and for senior abuse prevention. On the other hand, residential lives are occasionally negatively influenced by unbalanced concentrations of elderly facilities such as nursing stations and funeral homes. For the future of Korean rural elderly policies, suggestions are made as follows: first, an integrated urban and rural township that contains attractive places for early retiring people who seek a warm atmosphere in later life needs to be constructed. Second, an integrated model retirement village of urban and rural retirement life needs to be initiated as a measure of evaluating the adaptation process of movers in senior concentrated zones. Third, a cooperation system among governmental ministries needs to be formed with the long- term goal of establishing a traditional rural town of independent housing districts and medical facilities in rural areas. Fourth, productive and active lifestyles need to be maintained as the local community and government develop successful retirement rural villages, by limiting the expansion of nursing related facilities. Finally, generation integrated visiting welfare programs and services need to be further developed for the housing areas especially in the winter, when social integration and activity are relatively low.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.57-68
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to provide the planning factors of housing for the disabled and elderly based on the inclusive housing design as sustainable neighborhood. The goal of inclusive design is to make buildings and communities more livable for all type of people. Inclusive design should embrace other good design goals and reinforce them, not work against them. To carry out this purpose, we should proceed in the following way: First, we deducted the four design factors (the basic, recommendable, adaptable, and residential factors) by reviewing the characteristics of inclusive housing concepts. Second, we analyzed the related foreign design standards and guidelines such as the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Type C Units (the United States, 2009), Lifetime Standard (the United Kingdom, 2010), and Livable Housing Design Guideline (the Australian, 2010) through four design factors based on inclusive design concepts. Finally, we suggested the housing design factors for the disabled and the elderly in Korea. To conclude, we can make the followings: It is important basic factor that the bedroom and bathroom layout closed to each other. Also, the bedroom has the proper height of light switches, outlets, and windows. The recommendable factors take into consideration stairs and ramp, if existent. The adaptable factors are closely related to domestic housing culture as well as residential factors. Proceeding from this fact, the livability for people with disabilities and older requires accessibility and adaptability that take into account public and efficiency considering the current trend of housing development and urban planning.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.123-132
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• 2009

As society increasingly ages, maintaining an independent lifestyle at home becomes an important issue for older people. This study aims to determine old people's housing needs for maintaining an independent lifestyle despite their health status and living arrangements. A total of 438 residents voluntarily took part in a research questionnaire survey through the quota sampling method. The participants were grouped according to age (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and over 75), gender (male and female), and house type (apartment houses and others). The results are as follows. (1) The senior residents are mostly within a non occupational, low income, and low subjective living status. (2) They are satisfied with their current residence and hope to manage the rest of their life in the same place. (3) Three out of five residents prefer the apartment housing type to other types of housing. The preferred dwelling size, number of rooms, and preference for use of an extra room all varied depending on gender and housing type as well as whether they were a couple or living alone. (4) The older residents have a higher need for a safety system than do the younger residents. Female residents pay more attention to convenience while male residents pay more attention to safety. The non-apartment residents require more modification to fundamental facilities such as a heating and ventilation system, wind protection, and additional storage than do the apartment residents. This study has thoroughly analyzed request characteristics according to basic qualities of the elderly households.