• 의료ㆍ복지 건축 : 한국의료복지건축학회 논문집
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.7-14
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• 2011

This paper is intended to suggest some reference materials for future elderly housing design, especially smart home, in Korea, by reviewing the elements and applications of smart home concept for older adults in USA. Research method includes collecting materials by attending the regular SmartHome$^{(R)}$ part meeting, the navigation of related homepages, and the analysis of collected materials. Current researches in Korea look initial stage and show some general principles without practical concept & technologies of elderly facilities. SeniorSmart$^{(R)}$ Center in USA started on August 2007 with the 3 parts of SmartHOME$^{(R)}$, SmartWHEELS$^{(R)}$ and SmartBRAIN$^{(R)}$. The Center has been doing various multidisciplinary research projects but slowing down the planned processes due to national economic recession. The major researches of SmartHome$^{(R)}$ part can be summarized as follows; CS-PFP( Continuous Scale Physical Function Performance) laboratory is being in operation to help older adults and families make the difficult decision regarding the ability and safety to live independently. Three levels of necessary laboratories from uninhabited space to senior living environment were accommodated for field research. As core technologies of SmartHome$^{(R)}$, predicting & warning system of fall risk on recognizing gait signature patterns to identify any deviation from the normal patterns of the older adults, home monitoring system which will send alerts to a specified relative and/or health care professional when vital signs of the older adults will not be within normal parameters, and Mobility & Research Clinic for evaluating, treating the older adults & multidisciplinary research are under development. SmartHome$^{(R)}$ has made collaborative research agreements for field laboratory with various retirement communities and also is continuing to work for experimental software engineering with the Fraunhofer Institute, Germany.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.807-819
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• 1997

The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of a 12-week low-intensity exercise program on muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and cognitive characteristics related to the performance of activity of daily living(ADL). A total of 16 patients who were admitted to the medical unit of a general hospital in ChoongChung province were recruited, eight for the exercise group and eight for the comparison group. Four levels of low-intensity exercise from 'ROM on bed' to 'exercise while walking' were then applied to the exercise group according to their physical condition. During hospitalization, patients in the exercise group performed each level of the prescribed exercise with the researchers until they felt comfortable doing it independently. The researchers also visited the patients' homes after discharge to make sure they could perform the exercise with Theraband in their living environment. The exercise group was contacted by phone once a week to assess the frequency and intensity in which they performed the exercise as well as their physical condition. The subjects in the comparison group participated in measurements for the study without performing the exercise and were contacted by phone after discharge, in a matched time frame with the exercise group, to assess physical condition. Muscle strength, flexibility, balance, cognitive characteristics, and performance of ADL for the two groups were compared at the pretest and the posttest after the low-intensity exercise program by utilizing SPSSWIN and the results are as follows : 1) At the postest, measurements of muscle strengths showed that the strength of the dorsal flexor in the exercise group was significantly higher than in the comparison group. 2) Objective balance for the exercise group was significantly better than for the comparison group as measured by 'standing on one foot' and Tinetti gait and balance control. 3) The exercise group showed significantly higher task self-efficacy than the comparison group. 4) Perceived exertion for ADL for the exercise group was significantly lower than for the comparison group. 5) Improvement of performance of ADL without assistance was significantly higher for the exercise group than the comparison group. The findings suggest that a low-intensity exercise program would be useful for the elderly who show decline in their physical functioning due to hospitalization by partly improving physical strength, task self-efficacy, and performance of ADL. Directions for further research on issues of motivating people to exercise as well as of standardizing various types of exercise were discussed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제85권4호
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• pp.349-357
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• 2022

Background: The most consistently identified mortality determinants for the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection are aging, male sex, cardiovascular/respiratory diseases, and cancer. They were determined from heterogeneous cohorts that included patients with different disease severity and previous conditions. The main goal of this study was to determine if activities of daily living (ADL) dependence measured by Barthel's index could be a predictor for COVID-19 mortality. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with a consecutive sample of 340 COVID-19 patients representing patients from all over the northern region of Portugal from October 2020 to March 2021. Mortality risk factors were determined after controlling for demographics, ADL dependence, admission time, comorbidities, clinical manifestations, and delay-time for diagnosis. Central tendency measures were used to analyze continuous variables and absolute numbers (proportions) for categorical variables. For univariable analysis, we used t test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact test as appropriate (α=0.05). Multivariable analysis was performed using logistic regression. IBM SPSS version 27 statistical software was used for data analysis. Results: The cohort included 340 patients (55.3% females) with a mean age of 80.6±11.0 years. The mortality rate was 19.7%. Univariate analysis revealed that aging, ADL dependence, pneumonia, and dementia were associated with mortality and that dyslipidemia and obesity were associated with survival. In multivariable analysis, dyslipidemia (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.71) was independently associated with survival. Age ≥86 years (pooled OR, 2.239; 95% CI, 1.100-4.559), pneumonia (pooled OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.362-6.606), and ADL dependence (pooled OR, 6.296; 95% CI, 1.795-22.088) were significantly related to mortality (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve, 82.1%; p<0.001). Conclusion: ADL dependence, aging, and pneumonia are three main predictors for COVID-19 mortality in an elderly population.

• 한국주거학회논문집
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

What is the meaning of home to older people? How much is home significant for older people? How do they express self-identity through decorating their own homes? These are the new subjects that scholars in the West are involved in lately in terms of micro-perspective (George, 1998; Kellett, Gilroy & Jason, 2005; Gilroy & Kellett, 2006). It is evident that home has more significant meaning to older people than other age groups, since the older are more likely to spend greater time within the home through lower income, lessening mobility or loss of companions (Gilroy, 2005). Also the older tend to cling to their homes and attach to possessions than the younger. Older people's possessions are the things that memories of their lives were absorbed. Therefore, possession display can role as a mean of showing their past lives and memories. Gilroy and her colleagues (2005, 2006) found that there was a certain pattern of possession display in English older people's households, and that older people would like to express self-identity through decorating their own homes with their precious possessions. Then, isn't it interesting to find out if there is any pattern of possession display or decoration items in Korean older people's households as well? Thus, the aim of this study is to describe pattern of possession display as a mean of expressing self-identity in Korean older people's households. Interview with older people was used to find out the way and reason of display possessions. Observation method including taking photos and hand-drawings was also added in order to demonstrate detail condition of display items in the house. Possessions display and furniture arrangement in the living room and bedroom were investigated to find out a certain pattern of display and meaning. Research objects were healthy older people aged over 60, who are living independently from their adult children, and who can manage housekeeping by themselves. 32 households were investigated in the area of Seoul, Kyunggi, Chungchungnam, and Kangwon provinces. The findings demonstrate that most precious possession for Korean older people is photo of themselves; especially one taken in their younger age. The reason of it is because the photo reminds them of their heydays when they were vital. Photo of the most beloved one is displayed more frequently in the bedroom than in the living room indicating consistence with English case. As symmetrical display pattern was dominant in case of English older people's households, no dominant display pattern is found in Korean case. Korean older people also cling to their homes and possessions and want to keep their dwelling space as large as what they use now. It is notable that even after they become older and frail, they want sufficient space to display possessions as a mean of self-identity expression. Attachment to possessions and decoration can give older people significant meaning of identity, and it is the reason why architects or interior designers have to meet older people's needs. It needs consideration that residents are allowed to bring their old furniture and precious possessions when they move in elderly housing unit in order to minimize environmental shock, as well as feeling at home. This subject could suggest a clue to designers or architects who have to meet residents' needs in space design of elderly housing or facilities in the future. Psychological well-being of older people can be met by making them feel at home wherever they live. They need space where they can express their own identity and personality even in case when they have to live in a limited small space like elderly housing unit or nursing home.

• 유통과학연구
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.27-35
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• 2010

실버세대의 중요성은 인구 증가뿐만 아니라 구매력의 향상 및 의사 표현의 강도가 증가하면서 더욱 커지고 있다. 이에 따라 과거 실버세대 전체를 대상으로 접근하던 마케팅 전략은 실버세대의 특성에 따라 적절히 분류하여 접근하는 방식으로 수정되는 것이 적절하다. 또한 세분군 분류 결과에 따라 고객 접근 전략이 결정되므로, 세분군이 얼마나 동일한 특성을 보유하고 있는 지는 마케팅 계획 수립에 매우 중요한 요소가 된다. 따라서 이론적으로 동일 세분군에 속해 있는 고객의 니즈는 대체로 일치해야 한다. 본 연구에서는 실버세대의 생활 행태와 생애 단계를 감안하여, 실버 세대 대상의 마케팅을 위한 세분군 (細分群) 분류를 수행하였으며, 분류된 세분군의 니즈가 얼마나 일치하고 있는지를 측정하기 위하여 동질도 (DoH: Degrees of Homogeneity)를 측정하였다. 동질도는 각 세분군을 대상으로 수행된 설문조사의 객관식 문항 별로 최다 응답자가 선택한 보기 문항이 다른 문항에 비하여 유의미하게 많다고 판단되는 문항의 수를 전체 문항의 수로 나눈 것으로 정의하였다. 본 연구는 동질도를 활용한 세분군 분류 결과의 적절성 평가 방법을 제시하였다는데 의의가 있으며, 다양한 분야에서 응용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. 또한 본 연구에서 제시한 실버세대 세분군 분류 결과는 점차 증가하고 있는 실버세대를 위한 마케팅 방안 수립의 기본 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.