• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.101-109
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of EFT-I(EFT program for insomnia) for insomnia in the elderly as a preliminary study. Methods : This study was a single group pre-post comparative study that involved 10 elderly women(mean age=$76.3{\pm}4.29$), who visited a senior welfare center, complained of insomnia symptoms. Subjects received 8 sessions(twice a week for 4 weeks and 1 hour for each session) of EFT-I group training. Insomnia severity, depression, state-anxiety, and life satisfaction of each subject were evaluated twice at pre and post of EFT-I. Korean Sleep Scale, Short form of Geriatric Depression Scale(SGDS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), and life satisfaction scale were used as evaluation tools. The data were analyzed using paired-samples T-test. Results : Insomnia severity, life satisfaction, depression, and state-anxiety were significantly improved by EFT-I. Conclusions : Result of this study showed that EFT-I can be a useful treatment program for elderly insomnia. Larger clinical trials are needed to verify effect of EFT-I as a community based insomnia management program for the elderly.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.180-188
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• 2013

Purpose: This study aims to explore the effect of physical, emotional and environmental status on safety consciousness of the elderly who live alone. Methods: A total of 228 participants were the elderly living alone aged 65 years and older. Three questionnaires were developed to measure safety consciousness, physical status, and environmental status by researchers. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to evaluate emotional status of the elderly. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Average scores of participants were $3.71{\pm}1.49$ (range 0~6) for physical status, $8.28{\pm}3.38$ (range 0~15) for environmental status, $7.21{\pm}3.40$ (range 0~15) for GDS and $17.00{\pm}6.54$ (range 0~37) for safety consciousness. Safety consciousness was significantly associated with education, marital status, drinking, and depression as emotional status. These variables explained 13.6% of the variance in safety consciousness. Conclusion: The levels of safety consciousness among the elderly living alone were low. Education, marital status, drinking, and depression were the factors affecting safety consciousness. Risk assessment and management of these factors are needed to increase safety consciousness of the elderly.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of cognitive function and depressive symptoms on instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in addition to identify the factors associated with IADL in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This was a descriptive study with cross-sectional design. Data were collected from July 2013 to June 2014. A total of 143 participants without dementia, depression and disability were enrolled in this study. Cognitive function was measured using Seoul verbal learning test (SVLT), digital span (forward/backward) and fist-edge-palm test. The Korean-IADL and Short Geriatric Depression Scale (S-GDS) were used. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression. Results: Overall, a multiple regression model revealed that approximately 27.4% of total variability in IADL in the sample of community-dwelling older adults could be explained by the significant 12 variables in this model ($R^2=0.274$, F=5.467, p<.001). Age, having religion and cognitive function were the predictors of IADL in community-dwelling older adults. Conclusion: This study suggest that we need to monitor cognitive function in older to maintain the ability for IADL in older adults. Also, individualized program for improving older adults' IADL should be included in nursing intervention.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was aimed at finding factors influencing cognitive impairment which is one of the typical symptoms among the demented elderly. Methods: The number of subjects was 417 elderly residents aged over 65 yr in a community. A cognitive function and a depression level were measured using the Korean Version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) and the Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale (KGDS). Alcohol abuse was measured using the CAGE instrument. Chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis were conducted to identify factors affecting cognitive impairment. Results: The prevalence rates of cognitive impairment of the sample was 43.5%. Sex, age, educational level, perceived health and alcohol abuse were strong factors influencing cognitive impairment. However, the effects of smoking, living alone, depression, family history in dementia and stroke were not strong. Conclusion: Risk for cognitive impairment were increased by being female and older than 70 yr, having low education, perceiving health as poor, and drinking alcohol abusively. Therefore, a reinforcement system, continuous research and the development of proper programs should be preformed in order to prevent cognitive impairment.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.128-133
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• 2007

Objective : Obesity has been considered to be associated with numerous physical, mental and psychological diseases. Depression, which is a major psychological factor affecting occurrence and treatment of obesity, can be a cause of obesity as well as can be triggered by obesity. This study aimed to find out the need of positive consideration to the existence of depressive mood in the management of obesity. Methods : A total of 101 subjects were enrolled among those who were 60 years old and over at one local clinic. Obese group (n=49) was defined as BMI${\geqq}$25 and normal weight group (n=52) as 20$5.2{\pm}2.5$) was significantly higher than that of the normal weight group ($3.8{\pm}1.7$)(p<0.05). In male subjects, there was no significant difference in the mean GDSSF-K score between both groups, but in female subjects, the mean GDSSF-K score of the obese group, $6.4{\pm}2.6$ was significantly higher than that of the normal weight group ($4.0{\pm}1.8$)(p<0.05). Conclusion : The elderly obese group showed higher depressive scale score than elderly normal weight group, especially in female elderly. Since the elderly obese female group had a depressive predisposition, comprehensive management including mental and psychological approach is required in obesity control programs.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.353-360
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• 2019

Purpose: The depression of the elderly in recent years has been increasing every year due to the remarkable change of the psychological function, which has a great influence on the life. Depression which is a powerful predictor of suicide in elderly people, causes various psychological and social problems. In this study, we try to understand convergently about the adaptation experiences of the depressed elderly with suicidal ideation. Procedures and Methods: Seven elderly people with a GDS(Geriatric Depression Scale) score of ${\geq}17$ and a SSI(Scale for Suicidal Ideation) score of ${\geq}9$ in the self-help group were interviewed until theoretical saturation. Data were analyzed based on the Grounded theory method. Results and Contribution: Depressed elderly recognized the importance of being the center of their lives through interactions with peer groups and they started to embrace their lives. Further studies: Empirical studies on positive interactions with peer groups affecting the adjustment experience of depressed elderly should be expanded and continued.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.47-58
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• 2019

Objectives: To conduct and report the results of a public health promotion program in Korean medicine (KM), namely the KM Visiting Care Service for Solitary Elderly, from November 2018 to April 2019. Methods: Six elderly people living in a rural area received the KM visiting care service, twice a week, for four months. This service consisted of acupuncture, auriculotherapy, and supportive counseling to manage their musculoskeletal pain, cognitive impairment, and/or depression. The changes of symptoms were assessed using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K), and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short form Korean (GDS-SF-K). Results: Through the 4-months KM visiting care service, the overall subjects' NRS-rated pain decreased slightly. Most showed improvement in MMSE-DS and/or MoCA-K, except one subject who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Depression assessed by GDS-SF-K showed improvement in a few subjects who were unable to walk independently. Satisfaction assessed through survey was generally high in all subjects. Conclusions: This KM Visiting Care Service for Solitary Elderly may help improve the pain and cognitive function of frail solitary elderly in rural areas. However, the protocol need to be improved to optimize the effect.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.227-237
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships with physical activity and depression and body function in elderly. Methods: Total 79 elderly(over 65years old) were participated in this study. A Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale(KGDS), Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K), Jebsen hand function test, dynamometer, five time sit-up test were used to measure the depression and cognition, body function(hand function, grasp power, lower extremity strength). Results: Physical activity participated group shows higher in the body function and lower in the depression than non participated group. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the physical activity is helpful to indicate and manage the depression and body function in elderly.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2013

Background: Prevalence of depression comorbid with neurologic disorders such as Alzheimer' disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and vascular dementia (VD) is higher than that of primary depression. Antidepressant medications, suggested by many researches for depression comorbid with neurologic disorders such as AD, PD and VD, are mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Objective: The primary objective of this study is the evaluation of antidepressant drug therapy for AD, PD and VD. Method: This study was a retrospective study based on medical records, carried out for 3 years and 6 months (Jan. 2007~Jul. 2010). Patients, diagnosed as comorbid depression through Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Cornell Depression Scale (CDS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) among neurologic out-patients of Chungnam National University Hospital because of AD, PD and VD, were selected. The results were evaluated by efficacy and safety of antidepressant drug therapy. Results: In result, the prescribing rates of antidepressants were 30%, 55% and 40% for each AD, PD and VD. Depression cure rates of patients receiving antidepressants vs patients not receiving antidepressants were 40% vs 39%, 33% vs 23% and 38% vs 30% for AD, PD and VD. The frequencies of prescriptoin of SSRI were 21%, 11% and 27% for each AD, PD and VD. The frequencies of prescriptoin of benzodiazepine (BZD) was 61%, 82% and 61% for each AD, PD and VD. The ratio of single BZD prescription was more than that of combination prescription of antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) were rarely prescribed. The rate of patients with BZD-related side effects was 54%. The most frequent side effects of BZD were dizziness (30%), drowsiness (21%) and headache (16%). Side effects of SSRI were rare. Conclusion: In conclusion, the frequencies of prescription of antidepressants were not common for AD, PD and VD. There was little difference in depression cure rate between patient receiving antidepressants and not receiving. Even though SSRI has to be the highest priority of usage, the frequencies of prescription of SSRI were lower than those of BZD. Additional researches and efforts are required to improve antidepressant drug therapy for neurologic disorders such as AD, PD and VD.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.783-786
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• 2015

Background: Utilizing geriatric screening tools for the identification of vulnerable older patients with cancer is important. The aim of this study is to evaluate the hospitalization risk of elderly hematologic cancer patients based on geriatric assessment and laboratory parameters. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study 61 patients with hematologic malignancies, age 65 years and older, were assessed at a hematology outpatient clinic. Standard geriatric screening tests; activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), timed up and go test (TUG), geriatrics depression scale (GDS) were administered. Demographic and medical data were obtained from patient medical records. The number of hospitalizations in the following six months was then recorded to allow analysis of associations with geriatric assessment tools and laboratory parameters. Results: The median age of the patients, 37 being males, was 66 years. Positive TUG test and declined ADL was found as significant risk factors for hospitalization (p=0.028 and p=0.015 respectively). Correlations of hospitalization with thrombocytopenia, vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency were statistically significant (p=0.004, p=0.011 and p=0.05 respectively). Conclusions: In this study, geriatric conditions which are usually unrecognized in a regular oncology office visit were identified. Our study indicates TUG and ADL might be use as predictive tests for hospitalization in elderly oncology populations. Also thrombocytopenia, and vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies are among the risk factors for hospitalization. The importance of vitamin B12 and folic acid vitamin replacement should not be underestimated in this population.