• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2022

Objective: This study aims to conduct a comprehensive review of monitoring systems to monitor and manage physical function of community-dwelling elderly living alone and suggest future directions of unobtrusive monitoring. Design: Literature review Methods: The importance of health-related monitoring has been emphasized due to the aging population and novel corona virus (COVID-19) outbreak.As the population gets old and because of changes in culture, the number of single-person households among the elderly is expected to continue to increase. Elders are staying home longer and their physical function may decline rapidly,which can be a disturbing factorto successful aging.Therefore, systematic elderly management must be considered. Results: Frequently used technologies to monitor elders at home included red, green, blue (RGB) camera, accelerometer, passive infrared (PIR) sensor, wearable devices, and depth camera. Of them all, considering privacy concerns and easy-to-use features for elders, depth camera possibly can be a technology to be adapted at homes to unobtrusively monitor physical function of elderly living alone.The depth camera has been used to evaluate physical functions during rehabilitation and proven its efficiency. Conclusions: Therefore, physical monitoring system that is unobtrusive should be studied and developed in the future to monitor physical function of community-dwelling elderly living alone for the aging population.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.33-41
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of space usage patterns by types of elderly households(single or couple). For the study, 74 elders who were older than 65 were selected and their living behaviors at their home during a day (24 hours) were analyzed. Respondents were classified into 6 types based on a combination of their household type, income level and health status. The results showed that the elderly residents tended to live a well-regulated life, however, each type had unique time and space use pattern. For example, the more the elder residents were healthy, the more they used many rooms. Frail elderly residents spent most of the day in their bedroom. Also, if they had a spouse, each one tended to use a separate private room for his or her daily life whether they shared a bedroom or not.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2002

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between socio-familial characteristics and health status in early stage of elderly life. In this study, a total of 252 Korean males and females aged 55 to 74 were interviewed to obtain information on various socio-familial characteristics such as age, gender, residence, marital status, education, religion, distance with children, household size, and living arrangements. They were also examined for self-perceived depression and diagnosed health problems. The analysis of the results show that marital status, gender, and living arrangement were major characteristics differentiating health status; widowed women living apart from their children are at lower level for most items of hea1th status such as emotional, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and muscle and skeletal function. Based on this analysis, suggestions are made for efficient health management. First, widowed females living without children are encouraged to participate in regular health promotion programs in self-organized groups. Second, usual welfare service programs need to be segregated for each age group, so that relatively young elderly are not frustrated from being treated together with extremely frail older elderly. Third, low education group living in rural area are offered preventive medical services for muscular and skeletal related health problems.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.562-574
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• 2017

Purpose: This study attempts to explore the subjective experience of frailty among elderly individuals in Korea. Methods: From June to August in 2014, 11 elderly persons who had experienced frailty in a community were interviewed. For data analysis, the method suggested by Colaizzi was applied as a phenomenological method. Results: According to the analysis, the study participants' frailty process was structured in seven categories: (a) 'natural phenomenon with ageing,' (b) 'life force comes to an end,' (c) 'the light in my heart turns off,' (d) 'unavoidable situation,' (e) 'continuous and connected vicious cycle,' (f) 'the limit of recovery energy already passes,' and (g) 'life is supported by someone's help.' Conclusion: The frailty experience in the participants is a natural process of aging, which cause vicious cycle acting with each other among physical, psychological, and social health. It is said that the cycle of frailty was started from weight loss and insufficient sleep, and boostered by pain. The participants from repetition of the vicious cycle become exhausted and pass the threshold of their recovery energy at some points. If they meet with sudden accidents such as falling, traffic accident and so on, they become to live a dependent life supported by someone's help in a moment. To prevent frailty and worsening conditions in Korean elderly individuals, it is recommended to provide a interventional programs using this study's results.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

Day care center for the elderly is an alternative for community care for frail elderly who need social participation and physical cares and services outside the family. The purpose of this study was to identify the present situation of day care center for the elderly and to suggest desirable interior space plans for elderly day care center. Data were collected by two ways; a mail survey and case studies of existing day care centers. Five cases of day care centers were analyzed to find out Physical and space problems, available programs and services. Also, the staffs in 96 day care centers for the elderly in nationwide were selected for a mail survey and 68.8 percentage of all was collected and analyzed. From the result of case studies, narrow space and lack of accessibility features for wheelchair or other prosthetic devices were the major problems. From the result of a mail survey analysis, the elderly users were over 73 years old, and high proportion had suffered from dementia and apoplexy Also, staffing ration was 1:7 In other words, one staff was caring of 7 old people, and supporting staff was insufficient. Therefore, supportive, therapeutic environment Was more important issue to improve quality of care. Separate program room and outdoor space, lounging space, treatment room by gardening, separate counselling room, bedroom, a simple kitchen unit, staff office, separate physical treatment room, resting room for staff was indicated more necessarily. When priority of planning interior space was safety followed by accessability and convenience, it was also reported that sire of each room was generally narrow. The most serious problem in interior space was the lack and narrowness of space, and accessible features for mobility. Based on the literature review and the findings of this study, two types of floor plans for elderly day care center were suggested;‘a mixed type for the elderly with and without dementia’and‘a separate type for the elderly with dementia.’The main goals for designing interior space for two types of elderly day care center were to provide safe environment, encouraging environment for remaining abilities of users, sanitary environment, therapeutic environment, familiar environment, and socially-encouraging environment. The recommendations for further studies were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.52-62
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between frailty, nutritional status, positive thinking, family function, and health conservation and to identify the factors influencing health conservation of the elderly at home. Methods: The research design was a descriptive survey using a convenience sampling. Data were collected from 142 elders using self-reported questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program for descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression. Results: The average health conservation score was 98.85. There were significant correlations between frailty, nutritional status, positive thinking, family function and health conservation. As a result of the multiple linear regression analysis, positive thinking, perceived health status, spouse and frailty accounted for 69% of the variance in health conservation of the elderly at home. Conclusion: These influencing factors on health conservation can be taken into account in the development of nursing intervention programs for improving health conservation of the elderly at home.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.613-623
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the operation, staffing, and services provided at adult day care centers in Korea. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. The subjects were 209 centers among 280 centers registered in Korea (response rate 74.6%). The data was collected from August to December in 2006. Results: 48.8% of centers were located in a city area. The centers were based on the Social Model 65.5% of the centers were open Monday to Friday, an average of $7{\sim}8$ hours per day Dementia, stroke or frail elderly could use the center, and 57.4% of centers were used for dementia and stroke elderly together. The enrollment of elderly was 13.5. The number of total staff was 8.27, the number of RN's and social workers was 0.67, and 2.54 respectively. The social services(Meal preparation 98.6%, Special event 98.1%, Transportation, 97.1%) were provided more than the health services(Physical therapy 98.1%, ADL training 95.2%, Counseling 84 7%, Vaccination 82.8%, Health monitoring 78.9%, Health education 78.5%, Bathing 66.1%, and Speech therapy 28.2%). Conclusion: These results suggest we have to develop a health-focused adult day health care model based on the needs of elderly and their families. Nurses will have an important role in adult day health care.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.335-342
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to identify the degree of the sense of mastery and health-promoting behaviors in the vulnerable female elderly of urban areas, and to determine factors influencing their health-promoting behaviors. Methods: The subjects were 253 vulnerable female elders aged over 60 in D City. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey. Analysis of data was done with the SPSS/WIN program. Results: The mean score of the sense of control was 15.8. It was significantly different according to living arrangement, and subjective health status. The mean score of health-promoting behavior was 3.8. It was significantly different according to living arrangement and subjective health status. Health-promoting behavior was affected more highly in subjects with a low degree of sense of mastery than in those with a medium degree of sense of mastery. Conclusion: These results suggest that the sense of mastery is an important variable for health-promoting behavior. These findings may give useful information for developing health-promoting programs focused on the sense of mastery in vulnerable female elderly adults.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.512-525
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• 2016

Purpose: Ageing in place may improve the quality of life of frail elderly and decrease their costs of services. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the institutionalization of elderly using home care services in a Korean long-term care insurance system. Methods: This study used the data of '2009 Satisfaction survey of Korean long-term care system'. The survey proceeded to use a sampling data based on region, level of long-term care need, and insurance type among the beneficiaries between August and September 2009. The onset dates of institutionalization of 1,095 participants were ascertained from long-term care insurance claim data. This study calculated the hazard ratio through the Cox Proportional Hazard Model. Results: A total of 176 subjects who were institutionalized in nursing homes were included. There were higher risks in the group that included those who were 85 years and over, had dementia or fracture, used home-visit nursing service, and were not supported by direct family. Conclusion: The results of this study have policy implications to supplement the home care service system and postpone nursing home institutionalization of elderly.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.391-399
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of fall-prevention exercise programs on fall efficacy, depression and health-related quality of life in elderly. Design: a randomized controlled trial Methods: A total of 57 participants over 65-years-old have been allocated to control and experimental groups. The experimental group received 8 weeks of fall-prevention exercises that included strengthening of lower extremities, balance and gait training. They received the exercises twice a week for 50 minutes as a group.Both groups were assessed using Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) prior and post to the intervention. The control group also received the same exercise program after the post evaluation. Results: The experimental group showed overall improvement in MFES, GDS, and physical components of SF-36 (p<0.05). The MFES was significantly increased in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). The GDS was significantly decreased in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). The SF-36, only physical Function, Role limitations due to physical health, general health, and energy and fatigue categories were improved in the experimental group after the intervention (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results showed 8 weeks of fall-prevention exercise programs can increase fall efficacy and physical related quality of life while reducing depression of elderly over 65.