• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.472-481
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare working condition, socioeconomic status, and health status between elderly and non-elderly workers and to examine the influencing factors of health status according to age groups. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. For the present analysis, 15,980 elderly workers over the age of 55 and 32,037 non-elderly workers under the age of 55 were selected. Results: The prevalence of subjective unhealthy status and poor mental health were significantly higher among the elderly workers than the non-elderly workers. The elderly workers were more likely to have lower level of education and income than the non-elderly workers. They also reported less support from colleagues and managers, however, have more decision authority. Among the elderly workers, long working hours, awkward posture, physical environmental risks, quantitative demand, decision authority, social support, age discrimination, education level, and income level were significant predictors of subjective health status or mental health. Conclusion: For keeping elderly workers healthy and productive, work environment needs to become more age-friendly. An age-friendly workplace may include: accommodative support, workers' participation, minimization of environment risk, etc.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.953-975
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• 1999

The purpose of this document is to provide the direction of the policy for welfare of the elderly, by identifying the problems and status of the welfare service for the elderly. The primary source of degrading the living standard of the elderly is the increase of the elderly population and life longevity. The Welfare service for the elderly to enhance the poor living level of the elderly population should be established, to compensate their former economic and social contribution in the society and also to promote the basic human right. The agenda to achieve this goal sums up like these : First, the basic living of the unhealthy elderly belonging to the low-income group, such as government-provided income and medical service should be provided. Second, for those with working ability, more opportunity for working and social activities should be given, focusing on expanding the employment rather than adding income. Third, for those with middle and high income, silver industry and pastime activities should be nurtured. Lastly, rather than institutional protection for the elderly, the welfare service for those staying home should be enforced, thus naturally leading to the family support for the elderly. There cannot be a sound policy for welfare and improvement of living standard ignoring the Well-being of the elderly population. The effort to better the welfare for the minority groups who compose the base of the social base will, eventually, result in the progress of the entire society.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.544-552
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• 2003

Purpose: This study examined the health status among elderly in community. Method: This is a survey using cross-sectional design. The subjects were 531 elders who were 65 and over in Pusan, Korea. Data were collected by 17 trained interviewers from April 10 to August 26, 2000. Functional status for physical health status, depression, loneliness, self-esteem for psychological health status, and social support for social health status were measured. Result: About forty three percent of the subjects were found as the elderly who need support in physical status. About fifty six percent of the subjects were depressed. The mean score on the Loneliness scale was 40.4, which means relatively higher. For self-esteem, its score was lower than that of elderly who were examined in other studies. The subjects were living in the state of lower social support. The risk factors for vulnerable health status were being female, becoming older, lower income and education, and living alone. Conclusion: This finding indicates that the elderly subjects in Korean community were in poor health status in physical, psychological and social aspects.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.16 no.2 s.61
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• pp.217-224
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• 2007

The ratio of the aged population over 65 in Korea comprises 5.7% of the total population in 1995, and 7.1% in 2001, and it is expected that it will be 14% in year 2023. Also, owing to the appearance of various layers of the aged, it is necessary to prepare various programs and facilities for the aged who are healthy and economically capable in order for them to spend their life in an abundant and rewarded way. Andthere is a rising necessity not only to recognize the value of existence for the existing elderly welfare facilities but to prepare new elderly welfare facilities considering comprehensive elderly welfare as well. Especially, even though elderly welfare centers continue to provide for the aged both in a low-income class and a common class various service programs and activity programs, there still is a poor structure in terms of spatial dimension in detail to comply the service. Accordingly, we believe that it is necessary to have a comparative study on elderly welfare centers in Japan as elderly welfare facility that advances about 30 years ahead. For this purpose, this study compared the spatial structures of application programs according to facility regulations and their gross spatial classification focusing on elderly welfare centers in Japan and those of Korea. Based on this, this study intends to present basic materials for interior space planning when establishing elderly welfare centers founded on space dimension and structure along with the gross space in elderly welfare centers in Korea in the future.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1-20
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• 1996

The purposes of this study are to investigate the living environments, focused on economic and housing environments, of the elderly households in Chungbuk and to provide for the suggestions from the perspective of the well-being of the elderly. The results are as follows: for the economic environment, 70% of the elderly households receive the economic help from children, but the amount of the help is not much. Less than 20% of the households receive the pension and public assistance. Most elderly households had more assets than debt. The households tend to spend more for the necessties than for the non-necessities. The higher the income, the more the assets and the higher the consumption expenditures the higher is the life satisfaction. Therefore it is necessary to provide the elderly with opportunities to increase their income. For the housing environment, most elderly live in their own detached house with average size of 23 pyung. And there is 1.6 households per house. The condition of housing facilities is poor. The elderly prefer staying in the same place to moving, and invest little for their housing even though being able to afford to do so. The housing satisfaction, which is significantly influenced by the ownership the size the quality change in moving and the housing facilities, is correlated with the satisfaction of their condition as elderly households and their living satisfaction. Therefore, thoughtful policy is required to improve the standard of housing condition for the elderly households.

• Architectural research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.129-136
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• 2016

People have experienced physical problems including vision problems with aging; some are normal and some are abnormal. When they have abnormal and impaired vision, they have a lower level of life satisfaction than their sighted peers. For the elderly with sight loss, well-designed housing could be an important indicator for their quality of life. Housing adjustment and modification could help the elderly cope with sight loss, do daily activities more independently, and lead to better quality of life. The purpose of this study is to investigate housing conditions for the elderly with vision impaired, state of housing adjustment or modifications, and the effects of housing conditions on the wellness of the elderly in Korea. For this study, 18 housing cases were investigated and a total number of 65 visually impaired people aged over 55 participated. Housing condition of those participated was poor. Most observed home hazards are level differences in living areas, obstacles in the hallway, confined space that is not allowed structural modification, swing doors from wardrobe or cabinets, color contrast, poor lightings, and etc. Majority of households participated in this study did not make modification or refurbishments, rather many of them tend to adapt themselves to their residential environments. Older adults living in better housing condition and under less difficult environments are likely to have higher life satisfaction. The effects of housing condition on wellness could be more influential when individual capabilities (e.g. health condition) are weaker. The findings underline that with intervention of individual characteristics, the effects of housing and physical environment on negative outcomes of vision loss would get ameliorated or reduced.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.369-374
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• 2008

In the 21st century, universal design has started to expand as new design value system for the diversity and various need of user: a new design that can reflects the welfare of the society. In addition, the percentage of population over 65 years old has been rising rapidly in Korea, and we are expected to reach 'aged society' with 14.3% of elderly population in 2018. In rural districts, population of the elderly has already reached 'super-aged society' with over 20%. With the rapid increase of the number of the elderly, the need for social service system is rising. For the independent living of the elderly, the dwelling space that supports their lifestyle is the most important factor. In advanced countries, they have proposed the housing for the elderly to keep living in their house, improvement of housing quality that fits the changing various needs of them. Until now, however, the most housing condition that the elderly has lived is poor living environment as below housing standards, especially housing in rural districts is very poor. The purpose of this study was to extract issue of housing in the rural districts in terms of universal design concept and reflecting the cultural and living characteristics of rural districts. With this, additionally, this study make understood about the necessity and important of universal design housing to reflect the characteristics of rural districts. For this study, data were collected from field survey and interview. The major results showed the following. 1) There were very various type of housing in rural districts. Spatial composition and shape was not related to living behavior and cultural characteristics of rural district. 2) The most new constructed housing was similar to urban housing type. It means that housing with respect to living culture of users in rural district must be developed. 3) In rural housing, they all had outdoor building (included storehouse, bathroom/toilet, kitchenet, etc.) relating to a series of work behavior. However, living environment was not to meet needs and characteristics of users.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1089-1092
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• 2013

Background: Elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a poor outcome because of co-morbidities, poor tolerance to intensive chemotherapy and inherently more resistant disease. Clofarabine is a second generation nucleoside analogue which has shown promising activity in elderly patients with AML. This study was conducted to review the outcome of treatment with clofarabine in a group of such patients. Methods: The records of 5 elderly patients who were diagnosed to have AML and treated with clofarabine over a 12 month period were reviewed retrospectively. Results: There were 2 female and 3 male patients with a median age of 68 years (range 65-82). At the time of treatment, 2 patients had newly diagnosed AML not considered suitable for intensive therapy, while 3 patients had partial or no response to conventional chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 100%, all patients achieving a complete remission. Induction and consolidation were well tolerated. All patients developed neutropenia with a median duration of 20 days (range 17-42). One patient developed hand and foot syndrome and a generalized rash but recovered. There was no mortality and all patients remained in remission after a median follow-up of 5.2 months (Range 3-10). Conclusion: Clofarabine (alone or in combination) is active in elderly AML patients with an acceptable safety profile and should be considered a potential option in this group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.344-350
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• 2006

The study aims to examine whether regular leisure activity of the elderly with active and passive types has a beneficial effect to enhance their health condition. The elderly subjects of 164 (82 of elderly who do active leisure and 82 of elderly who do passive leisure) aged over 60 years in Suwon area were employed. Survey questionnaires were administered to investigate general characteristics, life style, and health status along with anthropometric measurement. From the findings, the elderly who do active leisure were highly educated and better in living status. The elderly who do passive leisure showed higher drinking and smoking rates as well as higher obesity and overweight rates in comparison to the other counterpart. Furthermore, the elderly who do passive leisure were poor in health status. 'Painful knee and eye', 'lower back pain', and 'fatigue' were the most prevalent among subjective symptoms of the elderly. In conclusion, the elderly with active leisure activity seemed to have better life style and maintain good health status. Therefore, it is critically important to establish the health program combined with various leisure activity for the seniors to promote and energize the later years of life.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.417-431
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• 2007

This study investigates the differences among residental areas in the health, standard of living, and social relationships of female elderly living alone. The total of 501 subjects(185 from rural areas, 159 from fishing communities, 77 from the islands, and 80 from urban areas) were questioned from May to July, 2006. The research area was confined to Chungcheong Province. The female elderly living alone of this study were an average of seventy-three years old, had a low cost of living, and received little formal school education. Over sixty percent(60.3) of them lived on less than thirty dollars a month which was the recognized Korean poverty level in 2006. The female elderly living alone were evaluated as being in good health, but they themselves perceived their health as being poor. Observed by residential areas, the subjects in urban areas were lower in ADL, and both the urban dwellers and the islanders appeared to be higher in their satisfaction with medical services as compared to those in rural areas and fishing communities. The fishing villagers showed the lowest standard of living for female elderly living alone. The analysis of social relationships as seen in the different residental areas revealed that the female elderly living alone g in urban areas tended to be receiving social supports rather than providing for others, and subjects living in fishing areas and the islands proved to be relatively higher in the exchange of social supports. In relation to offspring, the female elderly living alone in urban areas had a lower frequency of meeting with their children and also a lesser degree of intimacy with them because they lived at a distance. On the other hand, subjects living in rural areas and fishing communities had a higher frequency of meeting with their children and a greater degree of intimacy with them even if they lived at a distance. The study also showed that the female elderly living alone in the islands had a higher frequency of once meeting per three week with their offspring and a higher degree of intimacy with them because they all live in the same islands. In conclusion, the subject living in urban areas appeared to be isolated from their offspring as compared to the other seniors in the study. The female elderly living alone in urban areas suffered from an insufficient network of relatives and neighbors, and they experienced a poor quality of relationships to their offspring. Almost all of the lone seniors in the study had a low score in social activities; however, the female elderly living alone in urban areas revealed a higher level of participation in volunteer activities, group activities, and educational activities. Nevertheless, the lone seniors living in urban areas were not satisfied with their participation in social activities. The subjects living in rural in fishing communities and the islands showed more participation in money-making activities. This study suggests that the policies for female elderly living alone should reflect the differences of regional characteristics.