• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study is to repeatedly conduct task-oriented training in scopolamine-induced dementia rats and as a result observe changes in the content of acetylcholine, a marker of cognitive function and central nervous system plasticity, to identify the improvement effect of dementia. Methods : It consisted of two groups. One group I was that did not perform task-oriented training in scopolamine-induced dementia rats and the other group II was that performed task-oriented training. Task-oriented training involved stretching, grasping and moving arms and walking obstacles on the legs. We performed a quantified passive avoidance test in the measurement of memory for cognitive function and compared the change in the content of acetylcholine for the plasticity of the central nervous system. Results : The results of the study are as follows: First, there was a significant improvement in cognitive function since the 4th days after task-oriented training of scopolamine-induced dementia rats(.00). Second, task-oriented training applied to scopolamine-induced dementia rats showed a significant increase in acetylcholine content. Conclusion : In this study, task-oriented training, which is often performed on senile dementia patients during occupational therapy intervention, was scientifically demonstrated in scopolamine-induced dementia rats by enhancement of cognitive function through memory improvement and increase in the content of acetylcholine confirming central nervous system plasticity.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the internal and external control of the caregivers of elderly with severe dementia and the effects of care stress on depression, and to provide basic data of occupational therapy intervention. Methods : The internal and external control, care stress, and depression were examined in questionnaires for the caregivers of elderly who were diagnosed with moderate or higher degree of dementia through CDR by medical institutions. Internal and external control and depression by care stress was analyzed by using independent samples t-test and ANOVA, and the effects of internal and external control and care stress on depression were analyzed by performing multiple regression analysis. Results : The results were as follow; The first, there was a significant degree of depression according to difference of internal and external control. The second, there was a significant degree of classification in the care stress. The third, the effects of internal controls and care stress on depression were shown to be statistically significant. Conclusion : Based on the analyzed results, the caregivers of elderly with severe dementia needs to seek the role of a occupational therapist who can enhance internal control and lower care stress in intervention of occupational therapy because internal control and care stress can affect depression.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.294-303
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• 2017

As the elderly population increases, the prevalence of various geriatric chronic diseases and dementia diseases is also rapidly increasing; accordingly, dementia is becoming a major concern of our society. In this study, 48 elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment located in K district were selected from a group of experimental groups in one building and a control group in one building and evaluated for blood homocysteine levels and cognitive function changes after 4,8, and 12 weeks of taking vitamin supplements. The Chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, independent t-test, repeated measures ANOVA, contrast test, repeated measures ANCOVA, and Wilks' lambda test were utilized to analyze the data. The results revealed that the cognitive function of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group at 12 weeks (p<0.05), and so, the experimental group higher than that of the control group (p<0.01), the effect of taking vitamins was significantly increased, indicating that homocysteine was decreased relative to the control group. Therefore, vitamin supplements may prevent decreases in cognitive functions and dementia among elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.79-88
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• 2023

Objective : This study was to apply a cognitive rehabilitation group program based on sensory activity in patients with dementia living in a facility and to check its effectiveness on cognitive function, depression, and quality of life (QOL). Methods : Sensory-based cognitive rehabilitation group programs (20 sessions) were conducted for eight elderly with dementia over the age of 65 living in a nursing facility located in H-gun, Gangwon-do. The participants' cognitive function, depression level, and QOL were evaluated before and after the program. Results : The mean of Mini-Mental State Examination-Dementia Screening increased; however, there was no statistically significant difference. In contrast, the mean post-test score of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire decreased, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < .05). The mean post-evaluation score of Short Geriatric Depression Scale measured to confirm the decrease in depression compared to the pre-evaluation score, but there was no statistically significant difference. Finally, the mean post-evaluation score of the World Health Organization QOL assessment instrument-Brief confirmed the change in the QOL, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < .001). Conclusion : This study will provide the basis for suggesting the usefulness of developing a sensory activity-based cognitive rehabilitation group program for dementia patients living in facilities.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2016

Objectives : Anemia is a common problem in the management of elderly patients. Recent studies reported that anemia was associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. This study was aimed to analyze the differences of hemoglobin levels in Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD) dementia, mild cognitive impairment(MCI), and healthy controls. Furthermore, the study also examined if any association between hemoglobin levels and cognitive functions existed. Methods : A total of 116 Korean elderly adults were participated in this study(mean age 74.67 years ; 60.3% female). The Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR) and Global Deterioration Scale(GDS) were applied to all subjects. Hematological and related blood chemistry values were investigated. Results : We found that patients with AD dementia had significantly lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels than MCI subjects and healthy control group. The hemoglobin levels showed a positive correlation with MMSE-K and negative correlation with CDR, GDS. Conclusions : Among Korean elderly, low hemoglobin level is associated with a cognitive impairment. This study indicates that AD is associated with anemia, and low hemoglobin levels may contribute to potentially useful clinical markers of AD. The risk factor for dementia needs to be confirmed by prospective longitudinal studies in a larger group of patients.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.353-361
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to confirm the necessity and effectiveness of the memory school by investigating the perception of users and caregivers about the services and programs provided by the memory school, a social welfare institution for the elderly with minor dementia. For this purpose, 363 students and students in Daegu City were surveyed about the satisfaction and attitude of using memory school. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the use of the memory school is very helpful to the users, and at the same time, it is very meaningful for the decrease of the caregiver burden of the caregiver. Thus, it can be seen that the memory school has the effect of appropriately matching the installation purpose of the facility. In particular, it was found that the degree of satisfaction with the program level, type of service, and future sustainability of the memory school exceeded 90%. Therefore, this study aims to provide policy implications for the social welfare response for the elderly with mild dementia and for the basic data on the memory school for this purpose.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.285-310
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• 2004

The major purpose of this study is to examine effectiveness of an intervention program which aims at education/training caregivers of the dementia and/or stroke elderly. This program was conducted at group level. Participants of this program were the primary caregivers who have taken care of the elderly with dementia and/or stroke. To test the effectiveness of the caregiver education/training program, this study employed an quasi-experimental design: to compare pretest score with posttest ones for the same participants. Total forty two primary caregivers have completed the program. Seventeen caregivers were in experimental group, whereas twenty five ones belonged to control group. Our data suggest that, for the primary caregivers, subjective quality of life was more important than cargiving burden. Subjective quality of life among the caregivers significantly improved, after completing the program. This result suggests that a short-term intervention program at group level is not effective to reduce caregiving burden because an infra structure of community resources, to which the caregivers and their family access, did not remain at sufficient level. However, participants have showed improved mutual solidarity, and they have exposed to wider spectrum of a variety of information. As a result, they have perceived that the level of subjective quality of life has positively changed. Additional factors have influenced on determining the quality of life among the caregivers. The caregivers, whose demented elderly showed lower level of ADL and IADL, or who have experienced the short period of caregiving, were more likely to belong to higher level of quality of life. The quality of life among the caregivers were even more improved in the following group: being young, and highly educated, man. One of the contributions from this study is that we have found caregiver's characteristics, which need an intervention most. In addition, our study implies that specific contents of the caregivers' education/training program should be conducted based on each family's unique characteristics.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.191-197
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• 2017

This study was undertaken to identify the level of the awareness and attitudes toward dementia in Korean adults. The data were collected from January 23 to April 30, 2016, with 95 adults visit to Senior Experience Complex located in Seongnam city in Korea, using self-reported questionnaires. The descriptive statistical data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient by SPSS 18.0. In this study, the mean scores of the level of the awareness and attitudes of dementia in Korean adults were showed over the neutral range, $12.97{\pm}1.55$, $4.13{\pm}0.48$ respectively. A significant differences between general characteristics and attitudes of dementia in Korean adults were shown in the level of a lived with grandparents, having the family history of dementia. It showed a significant positive relationship between the awareness and attitudes of dementia (r=0.773, p<.001). The findings of this study are to be a baseline data to develop the empowerment public program related in dementia.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.394-401
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• 2016

This study examined the experience of long-term care workers who care for people with dementia at home. A descriptive exploratory methodology was applied within the qualitative research paradigm. The data were collected using individual in-depth interviews with 10 long-term care workers who had at least 3 years working experience caring for people with dementia. The data were analyzed within the qualitative content analysis. Job selection, struggling and strategies for the role accomplishment were found to be the main categories. This study emphasized the role of caring as social filial piety from the concept of nonpayment of work in the family.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.38-49
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• 2021

This study is single-group pretest-posttest design study to examine the effects of web-based cognitive training program using tablet on cognition and depression in the elderly with high risk of dementia or mild dementia living in a rural area, enrolled in dementia center. Intervention was provided to the 18 participants once a week for 10 weeks within 1 hour. Data was analyzed with SPSS 24.0 and interview data was categorized. The study result proves that after intervention, the participants' cognitive score increased significantly(Z=-3.35, p=.001) and the depression scores were significantly decreased(Z=-3.13, p=.002). Also, interview shows positive effect of the intervention on cognition and depression. It is necessary to improve access environment for smart devices so as not to be restricted by time and place, and to develop and apply various types of web-based programs for each cognitive level. Then, the intervention could be used as a cognitive training program incorporating information and communication technology for the prevention and management of dementia in rural areas.