• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.79-99
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• 2008

Nowadays, social circumstances have changed rapidly due to the decreasing birthrate and increasing number of senior citizens. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate past research for presenting the direction of future research and for improvement of welfare for the elderly. For this study a total of 231 articles within four kinds of major home economics journals are used. The articles were published from 2000 to 2007. Specific research topics (subjects) are investigated for this study. Results from this study are as follows. Research topics are divided into the following fields: facilities for the elderly, family relationships in later life, quality of life, economical aspects of the elderly, physical and metal health, leisure, awareness and the attitudes about elderly people, clothing, death and welfare services for elders. According to this study, 'facilities for the elderly' and 'relationships in later life' are the most frequent topics of interest. Based on the results of this research and the governmental aging society plan, SEROMAZI PLAN 2010, the directions of future research about senior citizens and later life in our home economics major science field are presented.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect on improving communication by conducting a tea culture convergence program for elderly people using facilities. The subjects of this study consisted of a tea culture convergence program for 3 months, 60 minutes once a week for 7 people using the Elderly Day Care Center in the H-S S welfare center. Psychological and behavioral changes related to communication by sessions were compared by comparing elderly patients at each session of the Tea Culture Convergence Program.Tea culture convergence program was found to have a positive effect on behaviors and attitudes related to communication among the elderly in the facilities. As a result of analyzing pre- and post-action and attitudes, the Tea Culture Convergence Program brought positive changes in communication by acting as emotional and social support for the elderly. These findings suggest that the Tea Culture Convergence Program is a psychologically necessary program for the elderly in that it shows that the Tea Culture Convergence Program is an effective program that promotes communication among the elderly in the facilities.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.52-58
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• 2020

The number of medical welfare facilities caring for the elderly with paralysis and dementia has been increasing rapidly because of the change in the way of supporting the elderly, stemming from an increase in the number of the elderly and working couples. These medical welfare facilities are usually installed all over the city and are gradually becoming high-rise. Few inmates are capable of making their own decisions in case of fire at night and when there are no escape routes such as ramps for evacuation, leading to massive casualties. This study aimed to identify problems in evacuation in the medical welfare facilities for the elderly in Goyang city. This city has the largest number of medical welfare facilities for the elderly per unit area. The following strategies could aid in better evacuation: secure ramps or bed escape elevators; the bedrooms of the inmates should have one-hour fire resistance; the stairs should have the structure of an enclosed stairway; the necessary apparatus for evacuation, such as an escape chute, should be installed; and, to conclude, a business agreement with neighboring agencies to help inmates escape during the fire. The state should implement necessary measures to protect the lives and property of the people. Rapid implementation of this proposal is necessary for the evacuation safety of an increasing number of medical welfare facilities for the elderly.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.7-20
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• 2023

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to assess a body of research evidence that articulates the impact of physical and environmental factors on behavioral·psychological health and quality of life for the elderly people with dementia who reside in long-term care facilities. This follow-up study of the previous literature review aims to further identify physical and environmental factors, that improve health and quality of life for the elderly people with dementia, published in recent five years and to expand the understanding of clinical outcomes as mechanism that mediate the effect of physical environmental factors on improving behavioral·psychological health and quality of life for the elderly people with dementia. Methods: Comprehensive literature review has been conducted to identify empirical studies that link the design of dementia care facilities to health- and quality of care(QOL)-related outcomes and this follow-up review scrutinized peer-reviewed articles published in recent five years (from January 2018 to December 2022), filling the gap between the previous literature review and the current state of research. Results: The review identified a growing body of literature that articulates environment-related factors that improve behavioral·psychological health and quality of life for the elderly people with dementia living long-term care facilities. Implications: The findings of the review can be translated to design implications and design decisions to promote psychological and behavioral health and quality of life of people with dementia in long-term care facilities.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1-10
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• 2002

As the elderly population increases, concerns for the elderly's welfare become greater both quantitatively and qualitatively. In order to give a chance for the elderly to live in familiar dwelling and regional context to which they are accustomed, and to participate in their society actively, it is of great importance that suitable living spaces must be provided for the elderly. The practical ways of providing people with good living environment and its easy maintenance for healthy and valuable lives were discussed in this paper. This research is designed to propose pertinent policies related to social issues concerning the elderly. 137 seniors over 60 living in Gwanaju city were sampled and surveyed. The scope of planning for the elderly's lifestyle and welfare is divided into two parts, one is planning of space for the realization of stable and spacious dwellings and another is urban environment planning capable of supporting healthy and affluent lifestyles. Also, the realization of stable housing, the construction of urban structure for a healthy life, and the provision of barrier-free living conditions are investigated. For increasing the degree of stabilization and improvement for the elderly's life, self-governing bodies should grasp the demands of living condition and spatial requirements by taking the lifestyles of the elderly into account in urban or regional levels. Then, a master plan including development, improvement, execution, and maintenance of proper housing facilities and urban environments should be made for the best results.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.97-111
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• 2002

Despite the substantial increase of the elderly population in Korea, welfare policies such as housing programs have not been developed enough to meet the diverse needs of the aging people. Particularly, caring for elderly dementia patients is becoming a serious social problem in Korean society. Families are still primarily responsible for taking care of the elderly dementia patients, and thus are suffering from tremendous caregiving burdens. In many Western countries, group homes, which are small-scale care facilities with home-like atmosphere, have become common housing alternatives for elderly dementia patients. Group homes effectively create a therapeutic environment while helping reduce the elder care burdens for the families. This article proposes to review group homes as a housing option for the elderly with dementia in Korea. The purpose of this article is to make suggestions for housing policies, separately or as a part of more general welfare policies. Based on the questionnaire survey conducted on 912 persons currently residing in Seoul and five different provinces, various possible policies and suggestions to promote establishing group homes and other facilities for elderly dementia patients are discussed in this article.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 1999

This investigation & study has been made in oder to revitalilize the health care for the elderly in public health centers. The date subject, including 88 persons in charge health services in public heal centers, were from Chejudo. These were largely female, the average age was 38.4 at the health center. Their responsibilities included home visitation, nutrition management for the early, health education, and physical therapy. The most important problem were personal management and a lack of facilities, especially in home visitation, health education, physical therapy. Systematic networks of various activities are needed to encourage not only the patient but also volunteer who will also take part in these services. The numbers of members in charge of the elderly are not only to be increased and educate with facilities and equipment but also better provided with proper facilities and equipment. This is the best way to conduct health services the elderly.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2001

Concerns about paid-facilities for the elderly with dementia from middle and upper class families have been discussed lately in Korea. Small-scale, home-like group homes for the elderly with dementia were developed in Sweden in the 1980, but they have not been effectively introduced in Korea where they remain a comparatively new concept. The group home, however, would provide a good alternative to Koreans who feel guilty when they have to leave their frail parents in large-scale facilities or hospitals instead of caring for them at home. The aim of this paper is, first, to define the care of the demented elderly who come from upper and middle class families in Korea and, secondly, to discuss the need for group homes to help care for them. A survey was done by questionnaire and was answered by 577 respondents who belonged to middle and upper class families living in Korea in December 2000. Methods of analysis were frequency, mean, and Chi-square. The results of this study were as follows: 1) the traditional notion that the eldest son should be burdened with the primary responsibility for a demented parent has weakened remarkably; 2) a small-scale long-term care facility was considered the most desirable living environment for the demented elderly; 3) the facilities families needed for professional hospitals for victims of dementia, senior citizen centers, large and small-scale long-term care facilities, day-care centers, and short-stay and service housing. The study also revealed that there was low awareness of the group home. The most preferred type of structure for group homes was a single-family detached house, and the most preferred management system was small-scale that could create home-like atmosphere. Additionally the respondents wanted group homes to consist of 6-8 residents with 2-4 persons per room. The results of this study strongly suggest that policy makers should encourage the development of smallscale group homes as an alternative form of housing for the elderly with dementia.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.248-257
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• 2012

The demand of elderly care facilities due to aging population has been increased and the trend of developed countries implies the necessity of innovate approach for elderly care in Korea. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the flexible elderly housing alternative which has been introduced showing adaptability and small scale. This elderly housing alternative was designed to fulfill the condition of residential facilities for various aging phases from the independent elderly to dependent elderly. The workshop method was used for pre-evaluation of the flexible elderly housing alternative from the viewpoint of administrators, care givers and the elderly. The pre-evaluation is to estimate the facility before finalizing the design so that it facilitates more effective and suitable plan by reducing the trial and error beforehand, unlike the post-evaluation. Major responses of plans were positive and the needs for improvement about some concerns were revealed. Thus, relevant aspects of architectural drawings were amended according to workshop participants' needs and features that require to be reflected during further planning procedures were also improved. The result of this research will develop the flexible elderly housing alternative and contribute to foster environment for the elderly as well.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.54-61
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial characteristics of residential and nursing units in large skilled nursing facilities for the elderly that were located in city areas, and to discuss the way for efficient unit care. For collecting the data, the researcher visited 6 facilities to make explorations and to interview the staff concerned. Most of the research facilities had systematic residential units that each unit basically had elderly private rooms and the spaces for small group. The number of elderly residents per unit was appropriate for the limit which was suggested by Kwon(2002), but the sizes of small group spaces were smaller than the standard limit($1.62m^{2}$ per resident). The nursing units were made up of nursing station, 2-4 residential units, spaces for large group of residents, hair dressing, nurse, living assistants, bathing, storage and etc. Some of them had problem in efficiency of space use because they did not have distinct usage. In conclusion, this study suggests that each floor has one nursing unit including 40 residents maximum and each nursing unit consists of 2-3 residential units that have 20 residents maximum per unit. In each residential unit, the furniture and spaces for efficient unit-care should be arranged, such as TV, dining table, kitchenette, bathroom, and rooms for living assistants. The hall type is better for the small group so that it has a transitional characteristic leading to the public spaces. The large group space needs to have clear usage such as conducting program differentiated from small group, and various furniture such as sofa, TV, table, and etc which encourage the elderly voluntary use.