• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.97-105
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• 2012

Background: Increasing numbers of super-elderly patients (>80 years old) with cancer now require microvascular-free tissue transfer. The objectives of this study were to evaluate potential applications of microvascular tissue transfer in this patient population, and post-surgical changes in quality of life. Methods: The records of cancer patients 80 years or older who had undergone microsurgical tissue transfer were retrospectively reviewed. Structured interviews were conducted with patients and family caregivers after surgery, and the patients' quality of life was qualitatively assessed. Results: The study cohort consisted of seven patients with a mean age 87.6 years (range, 81 to 95). Wound and medically-related complications were minimal. During the patient interviews, eight of the nine respondents reported remarkable improvements in quality of life following surgery and expressed a high level of satisfaction with their surgical results. Conclusions: Our study showed that microsurgical reconstruction performed in super-elderly patient not only appropriately repairs post-oncologic defects but also significantly improves the patients' quality of life.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.131-133
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• 1997

Number of elderly patients requiring nerve blocks have been increasing in recent years. We had two elderly patients who suffered stroke one day and three days after lumbar facet joint block and lumbar single epidural block respectively. Both patients due to their advanced age had potential risk factor to suffer one or more of the following; stroke, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Due to our experience with these patients, we suggested the following: (1) Nerve blocks should be reconsidered for elderly patient who posesses a potential risk factor to suffer a stroke. (2) Prior to invasive block administration of mild sedatives or analgesics may provide beneficial effects for patients with hypertension. (3) Adequately informed consent must be fully discussed time of consultation with patient scheduled for nerve block especially for elderly and risky patient.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.129-135
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• 2021

Objectives: The present study reports case of an elderly kwashiorkor patient who was treated with Korean Medicine. Methods: A 68-year-old female patient with weight loss, general weakness, chills, anorexia, and dizziness after over 100 episodes of diarrhea visited the hospital. Blood tests showed hypoalbuminemia and anemia, and ultrasonography revealed fatty liver disease. The patient was diagnosed with kwashiorkor, and her symptom differentiation was Yang deficiency followed by Both Qi-Blood deficiency. Sayeok-Tang, Soshiho-Tang, Insamyangyeong-Tang, and Gongjin-Dan, herbal drugs, were given to the patient during 40 days of hospitalization. Results: After 40 days of hospitalization, her symptoms were reduced, and the blood test results improved. Conclusion: This case presents the therapeutic potential of Korean medicine in the treatment of kwashiorkor.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 1990

This research is focused on the attitudes toward dying and hospice. 4subjects groups are Ca. patient, Ca. patien's family, elderly, medical personnel. A 40 questionare was filled out by each participant. For this study chi-square and T-test was done. The result were as follows : 1. Telling the truth 61.2% of all subject groups agreed upon telling the impending death. About 40% of elderly groups and cancer patient group were disagreed which is the highest percentage in all groups. Particularly medical personnel group were remarkably high in telling the truth. 2. Attitudes of medical personnels 43.3% of all groups agreed upon medical personnels prefer to avoid dying patient. In medical personnel group. 44% of respondents disagred comparably higher than other group. But 37.7% of medical personnel agreed. It showed that medical personnels admitted their negative feelings toward dying patient in considerable degree. 3. Attitudes toward mechanical assistance for life-expanding or hopeless patient. 44.8% of all groups disagreed upon mechanical assistance for hopeless case. Elderly (54.9%) and medical personnels (50%) disagreed, which is higher than cancer patient (33.3%) and (22.8%) of cancer patient's family. 4. Special facility and educational preperation for dying patient. 67.4% of all groups agreed upon the needs of special facility for dying, 81.3% of medical personnels agreed which is highest percentage in all group. 5. Attitudes of family members of dying patient. 82.3% of all groups agreed upon the family members feel annoyed at dying patient. 34% of cancer patient's family member and 48% of cancer patients group agreed, but elderly group showed highest percentage(84%). 6. Perception of dying patient about imminent death. 58.3% of all group thought dying patients are aware of their impanding death even though they had not beent told. 77.3% of medical personnel agreed which is highest percentage in all group.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.130-147
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• 2001

This study is about major symptoms of elderly and medical services for elderly in long-tenn care facilities. The subject of this study was 298 patients over 00 years old staying in two geriatric hospitals and two nursing homes. The symptoms and medical services were level of patient classification from RUG(Resource Utilization Group)-III which is applied for both Medicare and Medicaid for skilled nursing facilities reimbursement system in US and designed for measuring patient characteristics and medical staff time. This classification is explained by each patient resource(staff time) utilization level which is called CMI(Case-Mix Index). In this study, the symptoms and services were compared by facility type and they were categorized by level and compared by CMI. Major findings are as follows; 1. There were more elderly who have cognitive function problems in nursing homes than patients in geriatric hospitals. There were more patients with behavioral problems in geriatric hospitals than residents in nursing homes. These results were both statistically significant. 2. The patients in geriatric hospitals received significantly more nursing rehabilitation services, rehabilitation services and extensive services than residents in nursing homes. Other hands, special care services were provided significantly more to residents in nursing homes than elderly in geriatric hospitals. 3. ADL and depression variables had higher CMI when the symptoms were heavier condition. The CMI were not matched with levels of cognitive function problems and behavioral problems. 4. The CMI matched well significantly with levels of nursing rehabilitation services, special care services, and clinically complex services provided for the patient in geriatric hospitals and only nursing rehabilitation services in nursing homes. The CMI for rehabilitation services level and extensive services had regular trends. From the result of this study, the resource utilization level and services provided for elderly in each long-term care facilities were figured out. For the further study, it needs to have more concern about RUG-ill which classification variables were just analyzed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.747-757
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• 2019

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale (K-NPIS) for the elderly, at long-term care hospitals in Korea. The original NPIS was developed to identify important characteristics of elderly patient experiences regarding nurse-patient interactions in nursing homes. Totally, 202 hospitalized elderly patients at 4 long-term hospitals in Jinju-si, Suncheon-si, and Namwon-si, were enrolled in the study and completed the questionnaire. For internal consistency, Cronbach's α of K-NPIS was 0.96 after item analysis. K-NPIS was validated using the confirmatory factor analysis and content validity. The content validity score was more than 0.80, establishing the appropriateness and readiness of the tool through group discussions between clinical experts and elderly patients. The K-NPIS is a 10-point scale comprising 12 questions. K-NPIS scores between different residential groups were significantly different, and showed no ceiling or floor effect. The internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and discriminative validity of K-NPIS was adequate. However, criterion validity requires further examination. Our findings suggest that K-NPIS serves as an appropriate measure of nurse-patient interaction when applying the nursing care intervention for elderly.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.9-20
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• 2023

Purpose: This study classified the actual functions of geriatric hospitals and examined the differences in their characteristics, in order to provide a basis for discussions on defining the functions of geriatric hospitals and how to pay for care. Methodology: This study used various administrative data such as health insurance data and long-term care insurance data. Cluster analysis was used to categorize geriatric hospitals. To examine the validity of the cluster analysis results, we conducted a discriminant analysis to calculate the accuracy of the classification. To examine cluster characteristics, we examined structure, process, and outcome indicators for each cluster. Findings: The cluster analysis identified five clusters. They were geriatric hospitals with relatively short stays for cancer patients(cluster 1; cancer patient-centered), geriatric hospitals with relatively large numbers of patients using rehabilitation services(cluster 2; rehabilitation patient-centered), geriatric hospitals with a high proportion of relatively severe elderly patients(cluster 3; severe elderly patient-centered), geriatric hospitals with a high proportion of mildly ill elderly patients with various conditions(cluster 4; mildly ill elderly patient-centered), and geriatric hospitals with a significantly higher proportion of dementia patients(cluster 5; dementia patient-centered). The largest number of geriatric hospitals were categorized in clusters 4 and 5, and the structure and process indicators for these clusters were generally lower than for the other clusters. Practical Implications: We have confirmed the existence of geriatric hospitals where the medical function, which is the original purpose of a geriatric hospital, has been weakened. It has been observed that the quality level of these geriatric hospitals is likely to be lower compared to hospitals that prioritize enhanced medical functions. Therefore, it is suggested to consider the conversion of these geriatric hospitals into long-term care facilities, and careful consideration should be given to the review of care-giver payment coverage.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.98-103
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• 2014

Objectives: Advanced malignant melanoma (MM) has a poor prognosis, with an expected 2-year survival rate of 10 to 20%. It has long been recognized as an immunogenic tumor, and is worse for elderly patients. Many studies have suggested that herbal treatments improve immune functions, but few clinical studies have reported on this topic. Patients and History: We present two cases of female patients (72 and 77 years old, respectively) with advanced MM. The 72-year-old female patient was, at first, diagnosed with MM with multiple bone metastases. She received resection of the primary lesion, but refused further chemotherapy. The 77-year-old female patient was diagnosed with cutaneous MM of the left heel, with suspicion of sentinel node lymphadenopathy; however, she also refused any conventional treatment due to old age. Course of Therapy and Results: Both patients were exclusively treated with standardized allergen-removed Rhus verniciflua stokes (aRVS) extract combined with Bojungikki-tang (BT, Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang in Chinese or Hochu-ekki-to in Japanese). Both patients are still alive and doing well (Feb. 2014), demonstrating that the 72-year-old patient has lived for 27 months and the 77-year-old patient has lived for 31 months without disease progression since the aRVS and BT administration. Conclusion: We suggest that the combination of aRVS extract and BT could be a candidate for overcoming the cancer's immunoediting process especially for elderly MM patients intolerant of conventional treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.753-762
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• 2017

Objectives: We conducted this study to report the clinical effects of Sibak-tang (Saiboku-to) in an elderly patient suffering from sputum and dysphagia after conventional treatment for pneumonia. Methods: The Sibak-tang was administered to the patient to treat sputum and dysphagia. The results were assessed by measuring the frequency of the sputum and conducting a videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Results: After about three weeks of herbal medicine treatments, the patient's symptoms of respiratory problems improved. The results of the videofluoroscopic swallowing study were also improved. Conclusion: Sibak-tang could be an effective treatment for elderly patients suffering from sputum and dysphagia after conventional treatment for pneumonia.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.417-424
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• 2006

An ubiquitous healthcare monitoring system for elderly person at home was designed for continuous healthy monitoring of elderly person or patients. Human vital signals, such as ECG and body temperature, were monitored by terminal PC or PDA via ECG and temperature sensor nodes on the patient's body. From the ECG data, the heart rate, tachycardia, bradycardia and arrhythmia were diagnosed on the terminal PC or PDA to assist doctor's or nurse's aid or patient itself to monitor the patient's condition and give medical examination. Artificial judgement support system was designed in server computer and the system support a doctor or nurser for management or treatment of the patient. This system can be applied to vital signal monitoring system for solitude elderly person at self house or home health care service part. And this ubiquitous healthcare system can reduce the medical expenses in coming aging or aged society.