• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.212-220
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• 2021

Method : Using annual statistics of major surgeries provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation, it figured out what changes come in visual acuity by the number of cataract surgeries nationwide plus age, gender, and geriatric disease every 3 years from 2013 to 2019 through joint point regression for statistics. Objective : This study is intended to identify the relationship between geriatric diseases (diabetes, hypertension, obesity) and visual acuity in geriatric cataract surgery patients. Result : First, geriatric diseases of cataract surgery patients were closely related to diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, and drinking. In particular, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking had a high prevalence rate. There was no difference in gender and age. Second, 72% of all geriatric cataract surgeries were performed at the clinic level, and intraocular lens that was used after geriatric cataract surgery accounted for the majority of monofocal intraocular lens as 96.6%. Third, the visual acuity in geriatric cataract surgery patients improved from an average of 0.40 before surgery to 0.06 after surgery, and visual acuity improvement was found in 95% of them. These results suggest that geriatric cataract patients can expect visual acuity stabilization and positive visual acuity improvement through early surgery.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.277-293
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• 1997

This study was conducted to provide basic materials required to enforce and develop welfare policies, as well as the health system, for the aged, by surveying the status of health care utilized by the daily increasing old population and the importance of receiving physical therapy. Data that need in this research was gathered from over ages of 65, during the period from Jan 4, 1996 to Jan 31, using the inquiries previously made by geriatric researchers and through literatures investigator by this writer. The data were analyzed by $X^2$, Z-test, Likert scale. The findings were as follows : 1) General characteristics of subjects. People in the age group between 65 and 69 were 55.6% and the highest number, while male were 37% and female 63%. Analysis of income group disclosed 60.6% whose monthly income, including the pocket money given by children, was less than 200,000 won. 91.1% of the elderly people surveyed owned houses; only 36.4% live with spouses; while 15.6% live alone. 2) Characteristics with respect to utilization of health care institution. 56% of the total medical institutions used by the elderly people were clinics and the rates of chronic disease and musculoskeletal disease were 73.2%. 3) Characteristics with respect to approach of health care institution. 45.1% of the respondent stated it took 20 minutes to arrive at hospital, and bus accounted for 48.6% of all transportation means used to go to hospital. 4) Degree of cognition with respect to the rights of geriatric patients. (1) There is no financial support from the government for geriatric patients(71.4%). (2) Government financial support is needed for geriatric patients(95.3%). (3) Have never been regionally surveyed or called upon for interviews with respect to treatment desire and problems relating to geriatric patients(87.2%). (4) Health and medical policies for geriatric patients must be established rapidly(98.4). (5) Expansion and construction of specialized medical facilities for geriatric patients such as elderly hospital and medical center are needed(90.2%). (6) Government's welfare policies for the elderly people is insufficient(82.0%) 5) Degree of cognition on importance of physical therapy with respect to geriatric patient. (1) Physical therapy is considered most effective in treating geriatric patients(82.9%). (2) Physical therapists specializing in only elderly people must be need of separately(76.2%). (3) It is desirable for medical specialists to visit geriatric patients at home to provide physical therapy(82.9%). (4) Hospitals specializing in physical therapy for geriatric patient are required(85.6%). Based on the result for this research, the following suggestions are presented to facilitate the utilization of health care institution for the welfare of geriatric patients. Medical facilities such as elderly hospital and geriatric patient's medical center specializing in elderly people must be constructed as early as possible; and home-visiting physical therapist system must be important to treat chronic geriatric patients; our government must establish policies to provide the old ages with means for the health care and curing chronic diseases, and carry out the plans of reasonable distribution and effective untilization of medical resources.

• 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.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2016

Background: Conventionally, elderly hip fracture patients are assessed by orthopedists to decide whether they need geriatric intervention. We aimed to evaluate the effect of perioperative geriatric intervention on healthcare outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures. Methods: Our care model for hip fracture surgery resembles a combination of a routine geriatric consultation model and a geriatric ward model. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged ${\geq}65years$ undergoing surgery for hip fracture at a single tertiary hospital from January 2010 to December 2013. We assessed comorbidity, indwelling status, fracture type, and mode of anesthesia. We also evaluated in-hospital expenditure, duration of admission, disposition at discharge and 1-year mortality as clinical outcomes. We developed a propensity score model using the variables of age, cholesterol, and creatinine and examined the effect of perioperative geriatric intervention on intergroup differences of clinical variables. Results: Among 639 patients, 138 patients received the geriatric intervention and 501 patients received the usual care. Univariate analysis showed that factors such as age; Charlson comorbidity index; and serum levels of cholesterol, albumin, and creatinine differed significantly between these 2 groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of 1-year mortality, disposition at discharge, and in-hospital expenditure in the propensity matched model. However, the duration of hospitalization was shorter in the intervention group ($8.9{\pm}0.8days$) than in the usual care group ($14.2{\pm}3.7days$, p=0.006). Conclusion: This care model of geriatric intervention for patients with hip fracture is associated with reduced hospitalization duration.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2014

Objectives: As the elderly population grows and the prevalence of depression increases, the incidence of geriatric depression disorder will continue to increase. The effect of an intensive Korean medicine treatment program on geriatric depression disorder was studied. Methods: Geriatric depression disorder patients who received treatment over a period of three years were reviewed, with the geriatric depression score (GDS) used as the primary outcome. The intensive Korean medical treatment program applied to the geriatric depression disorder patients consisted of herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, meditation, qigong exercises, and reminiscence therapy. Results: The GDS scores of patients who received the intensive Korean medical treatment program decreased from an average of 19.57 (${\pm}5.52$) to 15.76 (${\pm}6.99$) and there was a significant difference. Conclusions: When the intensive Korean medical treatment program was applied to geriatric depression disorder patients, the symptoms of depression improved. This treatment program will be helpful for improving symptoms in patients and can be applied by trained clinicians.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.513-522
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and understand nurses' experiences of the death of patients in geriatric hospitals. Methods: Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological analysis was applied in the interpretation of experiential descriptions of seven nurses who had experienced the death of patients in a geriatric hospital. Results: The essential subjects derived from the experience of the nurses on the death of patients in a geriatric hospital are covered in the following 7 themes. 'Placed in death site', 'Difficult repetition of death and farewell', 'Emotional waves that rushes in after farewell', 'Dilemmas in a place with no preparation to greet expected death', 'Getting dull from continually being struck with sorrow', 'Being together with living death', and 'Showing courtesy for a good farewell and living well'. Conclusion: The results of this research will contribute to the development of policy on all the deaths of patients in geriatric hospitals and suggest basic data that need to be applied in real practice and directions to introduce plans for realistic improvements in nursing care of deathbed patients in geriatric hospitals.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2014

Demands for geriatric hospital have increased in an era of rapidly aging population. Most of aged patients tend to stay in institutions for long terms. This means that the patient rooms of geriatric hospital should be given different considerations from those of normal hospital in designing interior features. They should be a homelike places for the aged patients and designed to take care of specific needs of the aged. However, most of geriatric hospitals are designed with little attention to such point. They appear almost same to normal ones. This study attempts to examine how users evaluate patients' rooms. The users are nurses, care-givers and family members of aged patients in six geriatric hospitals in Busan. They rated 12 features of patient rooms from 0 point to 100 points and described reasons why they rated in that way. Also, the walk-through was done for these six hospitals. 12 features are sizes of patient rooms, sizes and fixtures of bathrooms, sizes and locations of windows, bed layout, numbers and types of chairs, sizes and types of closet, lighting, color scheme, finishes of floor and wall, and interior design tone. Followings are findings : The users evaluated patients' rooms relatively positive. However, extra chairs for visitors, closet in patients rooms and storage in bathroom, and sizes of patients rooms and bathrooms were evaluated relatively negative.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.43-57
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• 2018

Objectives: This study analyzes whether the leisure activities satisfaction of elderly and older elderly patients differs with population sociology characteristics for the leisure activities services provided by geriatric hospitals, and to provide basic information to make reasonable decisions. Methods: Difference Analysis of the difference (T-test, ANOVA) in leisure activities satisfaction was conducted for the elderly and older elderly patients hospitalized in nine hospitals. Results: First, In the planning stage of leisure activity program, it is necessary to consider the tendency of men and women to prefer gender-based leisure activity service. Second, It was found that old elderly patients were more in number than elderly patients. Third, managers of geriatric hospitals in Busan and Kyungnam area should consider the needs of the patients in the planning and implementation of leisure activities and improve their leisure activity programs or develop more programs for better customer satisfaction.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.27-35
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• 2012

Objective : The study was designed to identify the factors related to depression of the elderly patients in geriatric hospital. Method : The subjects consisted of 198 old people who admitted in three geriatric hospital located in Daegu City. The Data was collected through interview with questionnaire from July 16 to August 16, 2012. Results : The general characteristics which significantly affected depression was perceived health status(F=18.158, p=.000). There was a slightly negative correlation between activity daily living & depression(r=-.378,p=.000) and strongly negative correlation between life satisfaction & depression(r=-.573, p=.000). Among the factors related to depression of the subjects, life satisfaction had highest expanatory power of 32.8%. Conclusion : The finding of this study provide useful information for constructing an intervention program and care for the elderly patients in geriatric hospital with depression.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Cancer is the disease of aging and Korea is one of the fastest aging country in the world. Older patients have decreased organ function and stress tolerance, therefore are at high risk of functional decline and developing complication from cancer and cancer treatment. Before beginning cancer treatment, it is important to assess patients' life expectancy, whether the patient is likely to die of cancer or of other comorbidity, and also the risks with cancer treatment. In order to estimate patient's physiologic age, it is recommended to perform geriatric assessment and implement appropriate geriatric intervention together with meticulous supportive care, when planning cancer treatment for older patients. In a resource limited country such as Korea, two step approach of applying screening tool followed by geriatric assessment can be more efficient. Geriatric assessment is used to predict toxicity from cancer treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, predict survival, and also to aid treatment decision. Number of randomized trials are ongoing to compare usual care versus oncogeriatric care, and with these results we expect to improve outcome of older patients with cancer.