• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.133-148
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• 2021

This study was undertaken to identify dietary patterns of Korean elderly people living alone, and to compare the quality of diet consumed. Data of 821 elderly people aged 65 years or older who were living alone, was obtained from the 2016~2018 National Health and Nutrition Survey. The percentage energy intake from 24 food groups was calculated, and a cluster analysis was applied to identify dietary patterns. General characteristics, energy and nutrient intake, nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and index of nutritional quality (INQ) were analyzed. Dietary variety score (DVS) and dietary diversity score (DDS) were subsequently calculated. The rice-centered diet group and mixed diet group were characterized as consuming higher intake of rice and a wider variety of food groups, respectively. The mean age and percentage of participants living in rural areas were higher, whereas education level and monthly income were lower, in the rice-centered diet group (P<0.001 for all). Intakes of energy and all other nutrients (except carbohydrate and thiamine) were lower in the rice-centered diet group (P<0.001 for all). The NAR for all nutrients (except thiamine), MAR, and INQs (except thiamine and iron) were significantly lower in the rice-centered diet group (P<0.001 for all). The rice-centered diet group had significantly lower DVS (P<0.001) and DDS (P<0.001), as compared with the mixed diet group (P<0.001). Due to the insufficient energy and nutrient intake in the rice-centered diet group, it is necessary to develop nutritional monitoring and customized nutrition policies for these individuals.

• 한국노년학
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.707-727
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• 2020

This study aims to empirically analyze the role that perception of the probability of lonely death among the elderly people living alone plays in the relationship between perceived social support and preference for institutional care based on Andersen's expanded Behavioral Model (2002). The subjects (n=676) of this study were the elderly people living alone, extracted from the "2018 Seoul Aging Survey." With "perceived social support" as an independent variable, "preference for institutional care" as a dependent variable, and "perception of the probability of lonely death" as a mediator variable, we conducted a Binary Logistic Regression to follow the three steps of analyzing mediation effect, as suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986). The results showed that perceived social support has a negative effect on the preference for institutional care and perception of the probability of lonely death among the elderly people living alone; at the same time, perception of the probability of lonely death was found to have a positive effect on their preference for institutional care. Lastly, perception of the probability of lonely death was found to partially mediate the effect of perceived social support among the elderly people living alone in terms of their preference for institutional care. Based on these findings, the practical implications of this study can be summarized as follows. First, various programs and support should be provided to the elderly people living alone in order to enhance the level of perceived social support, a factor that has been confirmed to increase preference for institutional care among the elderly people living alone. Second, as the perception of the probability of lonely death was confirmed to be a psychosocial factor of the preference for institutional care, we need to promote education and support for older people living alone to prepare them for lonely death. These efforts are expected to form a foundations for implementing a community-based integrated care system, "Aging in Place," which is the policy direction required for older people care.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.479-488
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate factors affecting low body weight of solitary elderly people by grasping the illness and health behavior of elderly living alone. Using the raw data of the community health survey from 2014, the data of 922 elderly living alone who are 65 years or older were used for the final analysis. Data were analyzed by technical analysis statistics, The Rao Scott $x^2$ test, and logistic regression analysis using the composite analysis module of the SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. The results of this study showed that elderly living alone had a high percentage of chronic diseases as well as poor health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, difficulties in dentistry due to dentures, and poor subjective health status. Result of logistic regression analysis the risk probability of low-weight due to gender of the elderly living alone is as follows. Risk of low body weight because of smoking was 3.004 times among occasional smokers in women and the elderly, while risk of low body weight due to walking amount is less than 3 days the possibility that the person walking is low is 1.420 times significantly higher. When feeling subjective stress, the possibility of low body weight was 2.220 times greater for male elderly and 1.282 times for female elderly. The probability of low body weight for a person with a poor subjective health level was 3.633 times for male elderly and 1.590 times for female elderly. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to establish appropriate nursing intervention and management strategies to improve health behavior of low body weight elderly living alone. It is also necessary to conduct additional studies considering various variables such as physical, psychological, and social characteristics of low-weight elderly individuals.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.370-379
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of self-care adherence in the elderly with diabetes mellitus (DM) who have lived alone, and to investigate the association between health literacy, diabetic knowledge and self-care adherence. Methods: Descriptive research using the cross-sectional approach was conducted. Data was collected by using a convenience sampling of 201 participants who aged sixty-five years old or more and have lived alone. Statistical analysis was conducted by using an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Mean scores of health literacy, diabetic knowledge and adherence of self-care were $4.41{\pm}3.54$ points out of a possible $12, 6.22{\pm}2.55$ points out of a possible $15, 58.56{\pm}17.28$ points out of a possible 112, respectively. Adherence of self-care showed a statistical association with health literacy (r=.26, p<.001) and diabetic knowledge (r=.30, p<.001). Statistically significant factors in the regression model were monthly income, diabetic knowledge and exercise. Conclusion: The level of self-care adherence in the elderly with diabetes living alone was relatively low. Diabetic knowledge was an important factor to improve the level of self-care adherence for the elderly with diabetes living alone.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify factors affecting suicidal ideation of the low-income elderly. Methods: The study subjects were lowest-income(basic living allowance) and lower-income elders who were registered for home visiting services at five District Health Centers in Seoul. Interview data were collected from 280 elders and analyzed. Using SPSS/WIN 21, $x^2$-test and t-test were conducted to analyze the relationship between the subjects' characteristics and their suicidal ideation, and logistic regression was done to identify factors affecting suicidal ideation. Results: Of the subjects, 48.6% had suicidal ideation for the last one year. Self-evaluated psychological status, quality of sleep, depression, and loneliness were affecting factors to the subjects' suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Psychological and social factors are strongly related to the suicidal ideation of the elderly who are living alone in metropolitan areas. Therefore, home visiting services should supply physical, psychological and social cares continuously to the low-income elderly, especially those who live alone in metropolitan areas.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2018

Previous studies have shown that forest therapy program can help prevent dementia. However, few studies have focused on low-income elderly people living alone. The current study examined the meanings that the elderly living alone receiving medical care assigned to the urban forest therapy program, as a way to understand the pathways that nature-based intervention affect preventing dementia. Twenty-one participants were recruited and they participated in a five-week urban forest therapy program. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 21 participants who experienced the urban forest therapy program, and analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results showed that all themes identified were related to connectedness with oneself, neighbors and nature. Awarenesses of change were consisted of positive and negative themes. The themes of positive awareness were improvements of mental and emotional condition, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health-related lifestyle. The negative themes were terminations of short-term programs and inconvenient access to the urban forest. Based on these data, we suggest an urban green welfare framework for future research and interventions for preventing dementia of underprivileged elderly group.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2017

In today's aging society, stable residential environment is essential for the elderly living alone to be able to do activities of daily living without restrictions and cherish a satisfactory quality of life. We developed a safe and convenient multifunctional sofa by removing complex combinations and decomposing processes of the multifunctional transformable furniture, appropriate for the use by elderly living alone. We deduced the 4 main keywords and details related to the purpose of sofa by analyzing the users' physical and mental characteristics through literature review and by using 24-hour scheduling, interviews, and actual measurement. Finally, by applying this to furniture planning, we designed 4 different types of multifunctional sofa system. Production was done in cooperation with AND Co. for 2 weeks using materials, colors and adhesives selectively chosen with careful consideration of their effects on the physical, mental aspects of the user to give optimal comfortability.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.225-240
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• 1991

The purpose of this study is to find the main factor which influences the housing satisfaction of elderly who lives alone or with spouse and to make it sure that housing satisfaction is an important factor to life satisfaction of elderly. The specific purpose of this study is as follows; 1) How does the locus of control of elderly influence a housing satisfaction\ulcorner 2) How does the housing characteristics of elderly influence on the housing satisfaction and this relationship has any difference between urban and rural area. 3) Which variables influence upon the housing satisfaction and life satisfaction of elderly and how much do they influence \ulcorner The locus of control scale, housing satisfaction scale. life satisfaction scale were composed on the basis of precedent researches. For this study 202 elderly sho live in urban and rural area ere interviewed. To analyze the data, such as F-test, t-test, two-way ANOVA, Multiple regression analysis were used with SPSS program. The results are as follows; 1) The interrelation between locus of control and housing satisfaction is as follows. Namely , if he believes in his deeds and will rater than his fate, he feels more housing satisfaction. 2)the housing satisfaction of the elderly was found to be influenced by location, Namely, the elderly living in the urban area feels more housing satisfaction, especially he lives in apartment and unshared house. On the contrary, the elderly living in the rural area was not affected by housing type and the number of household who live together, The housing satisfaction of the elderly living in the rural area or the urban area equally influenced by the housing tenure, heating system, bathroom facility, flush toilet, and convenient service form the outside. 3) The main factoers which influence the housing satisfaction of the single household elderly are bathroom facility louse of control and income. When we concern about the location in urban area the housing satisfaction of the elderly were mainly influenced by income, but in the rural area, they were influenced by the service facility from the outside. As a Conclusion, the main factor which influenced life satisfaction of the elderly proved to be housing satisfaction inn both rural and urban area.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.95-104
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• 2014

Today, the number of the elderly living alone without any family members is on a sharp rise, and those aged people living alone are making these social issues such as solitary death, depression and suicide more popular. In order to resolve the issues, some of the local governments have been supporting the elderly living alone in common houses that would be used by senior citizens only. This study became interested in this 'carnation house' which has been carried out targeting the elderly living alone in Gyeonggi-do, and selected elementary universal design factors that should be applied to general residential environments of the aged people and analyzed the factors. As a case study, this research investigated four carnation houses as research subjects and came up with these following ideas about how to make improvements. First, the study found out that all the entrances did not have raised letters and that UD has not been satisfactorily applied to both the thresholds and the effective widths, and that is considered something to be fixed. Second, in case of regular rooms and living rooms, none of the rooms failed to have safety doorknobs which should have been installed and plus, thresholds and stepped pulleys need to be removed, Third, it goes the same with the kitchens, and the thresholds should be eliminated while cabinets are secured. In addition, furniture that understands the elderly's measurements should be used. Fourth, in terms of restrooms, they should be designed to be spacious enough not to cause anyone in wheelchairs inconvenience, and the study suggests that the effective widths should be widened and that both the safety doorknobs and the emergency calls must be installed. Basically, after the test on the UD adaptability, the study concluded that the application rates in connection with the adaptability were low which led the study to assume that such result has been gained due to the lack of installation standards in relation to the common living facilities of the elderly. The study now argues that purposes of buildings should be first clarified and then, these detailed space planning guidelines that deal with general characteristics of the aged people should be established.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.25-38
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• 2015

In case of current South Korea, the rapid graying is in the progress. Because of it, the increase of elders who live alone causes variety of social, economic and national problems. Especially in the modern city, the health care, safety and maintenance of pleasant and joyful life of elders who live alone are being a big social issue. Even though practical services have been tried at the whole of government approach, the detailed alternatives are insufficient to improve the daily life support and service to approach the information. This research suggests the "ELA Service Model" which actively improves the easy access to information and corresponds to condition and circumstance of elders for providing the ICT-base Elderly Living alone care service. It is a step self-life support service based on fundamental desire of elders which resolves the problem and contributes to establish the active and balanced policy to the elderly.