• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-19
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• 2012

The object of this study is to investigate the satisfaction level of group homes for the elderly living alone in rural areas. Sixty-four elderly people, living alone, were selected from ten regions operated by the Gimje city council in Jeonlabuk-do, and then a survey was conducted during January 17 to 26 in 2011. The results of the investigation are as follows: first, roughly 90.6 percent of the participants responded that they were satisfied with cohabitation. Second, average point of satisfaction was going to bed together, which is 4.39, also each unit in all the ten regions was recorded above 4.00. Third, the satisfaction of eating together averaged highly at 4.37. Fourth, 95 percent of them were satisfied with the conditions of the residential space. Fifth, the satisfaction with the amenities, such as electricity, phone, heating and sanitation, averaged 96.9 and 98.4 percent each, which was rated highest. Through analytical research, elderly people who live in 'group homes' are satisfied with their lives. It is thought that this 'group home' can play the role of an alternative family better than existing 'senior citizen centers' and 'welfare centers for the elderly'. The study means that 'group homes' in rural areas could be established successfully.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an arthritis self-management program on elderly women living alone in the community. Methods: This study recruited 36 individuals, who participated in the program once a week for six weeks at two community centers. The program consisted of muscle strengthening and flexibility exercises, health education on muscles and joints, and joint dance for aerobic exercise. The data collected were analyzed using the paired t-test and Wilcoxon rank test. Results: After six weeks, participants showed significant improvements in pain (t=3.03, p=.005), difficulties in activities of daily living (t=2.77, p=.010), health-related quality of life (t=-2.63, p=.014), flexibility of right shoulder (z=-2.42, p=.015), and balance (right leg, t=-2.63, p=.036; left leg, z=-2.36, p=.018). Conclusion: The results showed that the arthritis self-management program effectively improved outcomes for elderly women living alone. Thus, this program could be incorporated into various programs for elderly people living alone.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.727-736
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of attitude toward elders, cognitive level, and mood state by living arrangements of the elderly. Method: The subjects consisted of 238 elderly who divided by living arrangements(living alone, living with spouse, living with children). The data were collected by structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, attitude toward elders, MMSE-K and mood state scale, from March to December, 2005. The collected data were analyzed by Windows SPSS program including descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2-test$, Fisher's exact test, ANCOVA, $Scheff{\grave{e}}$ test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Results: In MMSE-K and mood state, there were statistically significant differences among the three groups. In depression and anxiety factor of mood state, the living alone group showed higher scores than the other two groups. There was a positive correlation between attitude toward elders and MMSE-K in the elderly living with a spouse group and a negative correlation between MMSE-K and mood state in all three groups. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop a supportive program for decreasing the risk of health in the elderly and perform a differential approach according to their living arrangementa. Especially, more concern and intervention are needed to be performed for the elderly living in solitude.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.241-251
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• 2020

Purpose: This study investigated awareness of dying well, as well as attitudes and preferences toward advance directives (ADs), among elderly individuals who lived alone. Methods: The participants were 173 elderly people living alone. Data were collected from July 2019 to September 2019 using questionnaires on perceptions of dying well, awareness of advance directives, and general characteristics. Results: The majority of participants (68.2%) stated that they had never heard of advance directives. The information they requested to include in their advance directives mostly involved decisions on pain treatment, such as the use of analgesic drugs in the final stages of a terminal disease. Perceptions of dying well were statistically significantly different according to age and education. Conclusion: This study discussed the attitudes and preferences of elderly living alone regarding advance directives to provide basic resources for the systematic and active use of advance directives.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to determine influential factors for health behavior of elderly people living alone in an urban area. The subjects were 203 selected senior citizens who were living alone in a city. The findings were as follows: The subjects got a mean of 2.89 in self-rated health status, which was lower than the medium score 3. They got a mean of 2.64 in self-efficacy; 3.87 in social support and 3.14 in health behavior. These scores were higher than the medium score. The factors that affected the health behavior of the elderly people were self-efficacy, social support, self-rated health status, economic state, religion and gender. These factors had a 43% explainability of the health behavior of the urban senior citizens living alone. The findings are expected to make a contribution to the development of health care programs geared toward urban elderly people living alone.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.49-57
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between household types and suicide ideation among elderly people in Korea. We collected information on 220 elderly individuals(aging over 60), 171 of whom were living alone and 49 of whom were living with their families. The results showed that; 1) number of children, health status, level of stress, and depressive symptoms were all related to the suicide ideation among both groups, and 2) individuals living alone had lower sense of control, were more stressed, and more likely to suffer from depression. Based on these results, various implications were discussed and practical suggestions provided.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.195-205
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• 2016

Purpose: This study is to compare the difference in status between elderly individuals with and without a spouse. Methods: The study is based on the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHAENS), between 2010 and 2012. Subjects were over the age of 65 years who participated in the survey. Chi-square test and logistic regression of complex sampling design of the KNHAENS and used the survey analysis method by SPSS (version 18). Results: Sleep time of female elders living alone was the shortest which was 2.59 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Stress awareness of female elders living with a spouse was the highest, which was 3.21 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Depression was the highest in female elders living alone, which was 2.26 times that of male elders living with a spouse. Suicidal idea was the strongest in female elders living alone, which was 2.87 times that of male elders living alone. Conclusion: Female elders living alone were weakest in regards to socio-economical aspect with the highest rate of poverty, low educational status, and unemployment. The mental health status of females was worse than that of males. In particular, the mental health status of females living alone was the worst.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.89-98
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• 2017

This study aims to examine whether the life satisfaction of the elderly living alone is influenced by demographic background, economic activity, productive leisure participation and the moderating effect of social support. Data in this study was from 5th Korean Retirement Income Study, and 890 elderly living alone were extracted and analyzed, and a multi-level analysis was used to analyze the data because the life satisfaction of the elderly living alone has a random effect according to the region. The results of this study were as follows; First, the elderly living alone showed high life satisfaction when they live in province rather than Seoul or metropolitan city, spend higher living expenses, do economic activities, and they are economically independent. Second, those who participated in productive leisure activity were more satisfied with life than those who did not, and those who have social support are more satisfied with their life. Third, the relationship between productive leisure participation and life satisfaction was moderated by social support. When the elderly living alone participate in productive leisure activities, they feel more life satisfaction according to social support given to them.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.479-490
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to examine the association of social networks and medical care utilization of elderly living alone depending on self-rated health status, and also to measure the moderating effects of welfare services for elderly. To this purpose, the data which was collected from the 2014 National Survey on Elderly in Korea was analyzed by Chi-square test and Poisson regression. According to the results, social networks and elderly welfare services affected to medical care utilization of elderly living alone, only who aware of their self-rated health status as bad. With this group, the frequency of contact with family and participation in lifelong education had a significant effect on increasing medical care utilization. In contrast, the frequency of contact with neighbors and the participation in elderly employment program were significant to reduce the utilization of medical care. Furthermore, the moderating effects of elderly welfare services were also measured that formal social gathering has an effect of increasing the medical care utilization of elderly living alone by expansion of their social networks. Based on these results, this study consequently has an implication for suggesting expansion of elderly welfare services, which might be an alternative to social networks of elderly living alone, and also for seeking the direction of political intervention that helps health promotion and disease prevention through the research of medical care utilization.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.441-450
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• 2021

Objectives: Socioeconomic disadvantages interact with numerous factors which affect geriatric mental health. One of the main factors is the social relations of the elderly. The elderly have different experiences and meanings in their social lives depending on their socio-cultural environment. In this study, we compared the effects of social relations on depression among the elderly according to their living arrangement (living alone or living with others) and residential area. Methods: We defined social relations as "meetings with neighbors" (MN). We then analyzed the impact of MN on depression using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging Panel with the generalized estimating equation model. We also examined the moderating effect of living alone and performed subgroup analysis by dividing the sample according to which area they lived in. Results: MN was associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms among elderlies. The size of the effect was larger in rural areas than in large cities. However, elderly those who lived alone in rural areas had a smaller protective impact of MN on depression, comparing to those who lived with others. The moderating effect of living alone was significant only in rural areas. Conclusions: The social relations among elderlies had a positive effect on their mental health: The more frequent MN were held, the less risk of depressive symptoms occurred. However, the effect may vary depending on their living arrangement and environment. Thus, policies or programs targeting to enhance geriatric mental health should consider different socio-cultural backgrounds among elderlies.