• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.179-185
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• 1999

The Purpose of this study was to review the necessity of home care service for the handicapped. The Present momentum for home care for the handicapped become when the circulating rehabilitation service center for the handicapped was designated by the government in Korea. That was 1992. Home care service is a burgeoning segment of Korea health Service, driven by factors which include an expanding elderly population and increasing the disabled persons. To ensure quality of life for the disabled persons with diminishing financial resources allocated to health me, it is essential that community based rehabilitation and home care service be extended.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2011

Lifting chair is a typical assistive product to aid for standing up and sitting down for persons with disability. It is particularly useful for the elderly persons whose muscular system is weakened by degenerative joint disease. This paper describes biomechanical assessments of lifting chair with hip-up function. In experiments we measured 3D motion and electromyographic(EMG) signal on the femoral muscle when subject performs the standing motion on the predetermined seat height. Based on assessment of the standing motion, we select the hip-up angle as 15 degrees to cover the relative femoral angle when EMG peak value is appeared. Using an implemented prototype lifting chair with hip-up function we perform standing experiments with five subjects. The experimental results show that the lifting and hip-up functions are effective to assist for standing up motion with less muscle force.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.85-91
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• 2018

This is a qualitative research that was carried out to analyze the experience of loneliness of the elderly people living alone using the result of focus group interviews. This study conducted interviews with 28 subjects in the Senior Welfare Center of D city. For the purpose, 28 persons were divided into 5 groups, and interviews were carried out with each group for 50-70 minutes. and the voluntary character of research participation was sufficiently explained. As a result of the research, three topic collections consisting of 'Unavoidable lonesomeness', 'Inevitable death', and 'Acceptance of my life' and seven subjects, which consist of 'Absence of spouse', 'Independence for children', 'Death of neighbor (friend)', 'Fear of death left alone', 'Laying down', 'Taking care of my health', and 'Soothing loneliness in my own way', were derived. The elderly persons living alone who participated in this research expressed their feeling of unavoidable loneliness and their effort to overcome the loneliness. Based on the findings of this research, it is hoped that diverse plans to overcome psychological loneliness of the elderly people living alone will be developed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.29-52
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• 2013

This study examined how middle-aged and elderly persons allocated their time in overall perspective and whether the patterns were varied by age, socio-demographic factors, and the interaction effect between them. This study analyzed the 2009 Time Use Survey Data (17,096 time-diaries of people aged 45 or more) of the National Statistical Office using tobit regression model. The main results are as follows. First, middle-aged and elderly people gradually decreased paid work times. Second, the patterns of time allocation were varied by age, gender, education level, marital status and household type(Agricultural/non-agricultural). Third, there were interaction effects between age and the socio-demographic factors on paid work time and leisure time. Highly educated or urban persons were likely to have less time in paid work less than other groups with increasing age. And females were likely to have less time in domestic labor and care work than males with increasing age. But they had more time in social and economic productive activities than males. Based on these findings, this study suggests comprehensive approach to analyze the time use of elderly beyond economic working time or leisure time. To establish effective ageing society policy, it is necessary to consider the time allocation of elderly which divided into the social stratification.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2003

Objectives : Dementia has emerged as a leading public health problem in elderly persons, and its early detection is important for the treatment of curable cases, and in the educational support for other family members. Although dementia screening tests are available, they have not gained widespread use in community or primary care settings. Our goal was to validate the Tine and Change (T&C) Test, -including its validity and reliability in patients, and to assess it as a simple, standardized method for the screening of dementia in the rural elderly. Methods : The participants in this study comprised of 59 patients from an urban hospital and 405 persons from a rural community aged 65 years or older. The time test evaluated the understanding of clock hands indicating 11:10, and the change test the ability to make 1,000 Won from a group of coins, consisting of one 500, seven 100, and seven 50 Won coins. The T&C ratings were validated against a reference standard based on the physician's diagnosis of the patients. The convergent validity in relation to other cognitive measure, test-retest agreement, and inter-observer reliability were assessed. To assess the relationship between the Korean Mini-Mental State Exam (K-MMSE) and the T&C Test, the mean K-MMSE scores were compared with the results of the T&C Test in the elderly from a rural community. Results The T&C Test had a sensitivity and specificity of 73.0, and 90.9%, and positive and negative predictive values of 93.1, and 66.7%, respectively. The test-retest and inter-observer agreement rates were both 95%. The K-MMSE scores and T&C Test were significantly related in the elderly from a rural community (p<0.01), The T&C Test was not influenced by the educational status. The Time and Change Tests took a mean of 6.3 and 12.7 seconds, respectively, to complete Conclusion : The T&C Test is a simple, accurate and reliable, performance-based tool in the screening for dementia. Because it is quick, and easy-to-use, it is hoped the T&C Test will be used for the widespread cognitive screening of aging populations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.483-489
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• 2018

Driving behaviors are reported to be vulnerable to safe driving in unexpected situations or driving in the city due to deterioration of physical and cognitive functions in elderly drivers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in driving behaviors according to age of self-drivers and to identify changes in physical function related to driving caused by normal aging. The subjects of the study included 75 healthy adults (21 persons aged 20-39 years, 40 persons 40-64 years, 14 persons 65 years old) who were self-driving and possessed a driver's license. Data included sex, dominant hand, medication, exercise, age, and driving time obtained by a self-reported questionnaire. In addition, this study measured steering, acceleration and braking using a Driver Test Station. Results of the study showed there was no significant difference in power test according to age group, but the total time of the timer test and the emergency brake test significantly differed according to age. The timer test and emergency brake test were completed fastest in young adults between 20 and 39 years old and completed slowest in elderly people 65 years old or over. Based on our study results, it is suggested that normal aging affects the perceptual-cognitive processes associated with driving behaviors.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.343-353
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• 2002

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' attitudes towards sexually active elderly, and to compare their attitudes with those of non-nursing students. Methods: Study subjects consisted of 118 nursing students, and 134 non-nursing students, recruited from two universities. The data were collected from September to November 2001. Vignettes, which presented hypothetical situations of sexual activities of the elderly (65 years of age, 80 years of age/sexual activity mentioned. non-mentioned), were provided as a research method, as well as the use of a structured questionnaire. Vignettes showed the hypothetical situations by male elder's sexual activity and their age. Respondents were asked to address their thoughts in the questionnaire. Results: 1. Nursing students showed more favorable attitudes toward the elderly than non-nursing students, regardless of the presence of sexual activity of the elderly. 2. No significant difference was found in nursing students' attitudes toward the elderly aged 65 and 80 years, between those who were sexually active and those who were not. These results were the same in non-nursing students. 3. Nursing students showed more favorable attitudes toward the sexually active elders aged 65 years (5.6 1.43), than toward sexually active elders aged 80 years (4.89 1.55). This result was also the same in non-nursing students. 4. The variables significantly affecting attitudes toward the sexually active elderly in nursing students were familiarity with old persons (p=. 02), presence of living grandparents (p=. 05), and the experience of caring for old people (p=. 01). However, in non-nursing students, familiarity with old people was the only significant variable that affected their attitudes toward the sexually active elderly. 5. In nursing students, one variable to predict attitudes toward the sexually active elderly was the experience of caring for old people (p=. 03), accounting for 10% of the total variance. In non-nursing students, familiarity with old people was the only variable to attitudes toward the sexually active elderly (p=. 03), accounting for 3% of the variance for attitude. In both student groups, the variables that predicted attitudes toward the sexually active elderly included college major (p=. 03), school year (p=. 01), familiarity with old people (p=. 02), accounting for 12% of the variance for attitude by these variables. conclusion: Nursing students showed more favorable attitudes toward the sexual activity of elders 65 years of age or over, than non-nursing students. However, both the nursing and non-nursing students showed negative attitudes toward the elderly who were 80 years of age when compared with those 65 years of age. There should be a consideration in nursing education curriculums that university students may have negative attitudes towards sexual activity of the elderly over 80 years of age.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.1-22
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• 2007

This study explores the images of the elderly held by non-elderly. Unlike previous studies on the topic, it considers various dimensions of the images including health, personality, intelligence, and economic ability. The study also attempts to examine factors affecting the images by age groups of non-elderly as well as the dimensions above. The data come from a nationwide survey on the Korean Elderly conducted by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2004. Analysis of the samples aged 20-64 reveals that the overall image of the elderly are negative across four dimensions. Nonetheless, differences by dimensions are also observed. Young people in their 20s are more likely than other age groups to have negative views on elderly's health. In the meanwhile, the middle aged are more likely to have negative views on elderly's economic ability. Multivariate analysis based on legit regression model shows that the images of the elderly are affected by age, place of residence, co-residence with older persons, attitude toward life in old age. The findings from this study contain important implications for the improvement of the elderly's images in rapidly aging society.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to make clear the characteristics of elderly comsumer behaviors and to provide information for the organ and company preparing aging friendly industry. This information is actual data which analyzed elderly consumer behaviors according to sociology of Population criterion. The first survey was conducted to 600 elderly about the degree of products preference, the criterion of products selection, actual purchaser, the preferring medium. To compare elderly consumer behaviors to young consumer behaviors, the second survey was conducted to 400 elderly and young persons. The results are in following. First, the crucial factors of elderly consumers making select products is the function of products. Second, when planning marketing for elderly consumers, company needs to investigate factors affecting elderly consumers behaviors, for instance the educational level, a monthly income level, age, sex, and so on. Third, elderly consumers were the most interested in health products. Specially, male elderly consumers in leisure sports and tour products. Fourth, elderly consumers is active for economic respect and independent for social respect.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.49-56
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• 2006

This study was designed to examine, using Rasch analysis, the rating scale performance of the Korean version of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The subjects were 95 elderly people at community dwelling. Subjects (19 men, 76 women) ranged in age from 65 to 91 years. Rasch analysis was then done by means of the Winsteps program to determine the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the BBS evaluation tools for elderly people. The results were as follows: Twenty-one elderly people were excluded for misfit persons. Three items were found to be misfits and the order of item difficulty of the remaining 11 items was arranged. Elderly people BBS ability is indicated by -.94~7.41 logit, and the transformation formula is score=(logit score+.94)/$(.94+7.41){\times}100$. This transformation formula can be applied to Korean elderly people for balance ability. In the order of difficulty of evaluation items, the most difficult item was "Standing on one foot" and the easiest item was "Standing to Sitting". In conclusion, the Korean version of BBS evaluation tool for the elderly people has been proved valid and will be useful in clinical practice and research in Korea.