• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.14 no.2 s.49
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• pp.142-152
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• 2005

It is estimated that the need to build health facilities for the elderly will grow in the near future as the Korean society is aging. Thus the study on the spatial composition of 22 facilities as well as on the cases of health facilities for the elderly in Japan, where public health and medicare for aged people are well taken care of, was conducted and the following are the results: 1. As of 2000, there was one facility for every 8,000 and 1,100 aged citizen under long-term care, and these facilities secured beds enough for $8\%$ of those who need long-term care. 2. The spatial composition was categorized into general living space, long-term care, management, provision, and home assistance, and housing was provided. Moreover, the space was divided according to their nature of use, the arrangement, the form of entrance into the building, moving line inside, the relationship with the health facilities and their characteristics are analyzed based on different users, managers, moving line including that of provision of food, the relationship between different spaces with different functions as well as on the relationship between locations of each space. 3. The total capacity, building area and actual area of the welfare facilities for the elderly are analyzed, and area per person, detailed area for each space, percentage of each living space for long-term care patients and characteristics of recuperation room are suggested.

• 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.

• 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.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.479-490
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to examine the association of social networks and medical care utilization of elderly living alone depending on self-rated health status, and also to measure the moderating effects of welfare services for elderly. To this purpose, the data which was collected from the 2014 National Survey on Elderly in Korea was analyzed by Chi-square test and Poisson regression. According to the results, social networks and elderly welfare services affected to medical care utilization of elderly living alone, only who aware of their self-rated health status as bad. With this group, the frequency of contact with family and participation in lifelong education had a significant effect on increasing medical care utilization. In contrast, the frequency of contact with neighbors and the participation in elderly employment program were significant to reduce the utilization of medical care. Furthermore, the moderating effects of elderly welfare services were also measured that formal social gathering has an effect of increasing the medical care utilization of elderly living alone by expansion of their social networks. Based on these results, this study consequently has an implication for suggesting expansion of elderly welfare services, which might be an alternative to social networks of elderly living alone, and also for seeking the direction of political intervention that helps health promotion and disease prevention through the research of medical care utilization.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.386-397
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare functional status and the level of health care needs in elderly Koreans in health care institutions. Methods: Data were collected from 2,521 elderly patients admitted in 50 health care institutions (hospitals, oriental hospitals, geriatric hospitals, and health care facilities) selected through proportional stratified sampling in 2008. We used a long-term care (LTC) assessment tool developed by the government, which consists of 52 items with 5 subscales. Results: Statistically significant differences were detected in functional status and the level of health care needs among the subjects in different health care institutions. Of the sample population in geriatric hospitals, 48.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.9% for Category 2, and 17.2% for Category 3, and 13.1% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. Of the sample population in health care facilities, 29.9% were eligible for LTC Category 1, 20.5% for Category 2, and 21.8% for Category 3, and 27.0% of the subjects were not eligible for any of the categories. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the necessity of the development of an evaluation system that helps determine whether a subject is eligible for LTC.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.496-504
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of outpatient cost-sharing on health care utilization by the elderly. Methods: The data in this analysis was the health insurance claims data between July 1999 and December 2008 (114 months). The study group was divided into two age groups, namely 60-64 years old and 65-69 years old. This study evaluated the impact of policy change on office visits, the office visits per person, and the percentage of the copayment-paid visits in total visits. Interrupted time series and segmented regression model were used for statistical analysis. Results: The results showed that outpatient cost-sharing decreased office visits, but it also decreased the percentage of copayment-paid visits, implying that the intensity of care increased. There was little difference in the results between the two age groups. But after the introduction of the coinsurance system for those patients under age 65, office visits and the percentage of copayment-paid visits decreased, and the 60-64 years old group had a larger decrease than the 65-69 years old group. Conclusions: This study evaluated the effects of outpatient cost-sharing on health care utilization by the aged. Cost sharing of the elderly had little effect on controlling health care utilization.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.180-192
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to survey basic data for management of elderly day care centers. In this study, occupation, leisure life, and food, clothing and habituation, as well as social relationship, health state and behavior, and general characteristics of subjects were examined to identify the factors affecting their cognition, need and preference of the day care centers. The subjects of this study were 392 elderly, aged 60 years or over, living in Gangnung and neighboring districts. Data were collected by educated interviewers from November 4 through November 22, 2002. The subjects were interviewed face to face, one for one after the interviewee's agreements on the survey. The collected data were analysed with logistic regression analysis by SAS (statistical analysis system). Logistic regression analysis was done to identify affecting factors for cognition, need and preference of the elderly day care centers. The major findings are as follows: 1. The factors affecting cognition for the day care centers were analysed. The subjects with an occupation and a lower satisfaction level of living environment and friendship, who were economically secure enough to manage a sudden accident, showed a higher level of cognition of the day care centers. The subjects with a higher level of mental health state and a lower level of IADL also showed a higher level of cognition. On the general characteristics younger female subjects showed a higher level of cognition. 2. The subjects with a lower level of perceived economic condition who did not own their housing and were not economically safe enough to manage a sudden accident, had showed a higher level of need for the day care centers. It showed that the subjects with a high level of mental health state, a bad eye sight and dental condition, a good perceived health condition, and a lower level of IADL, needed the centers. 3. The subjects who had an occupation, however, not capable of making their own daily expenses, and a low occupation satisfaction level, and who did not own their housing, and were economically poor not enough to manage a sudden accident, showed a higher preference for the day care centers. The subjects with higher levels of friendship satisfaction and perceived health condition, not living with their spouse, and a higher education level, showed a higher preference for the centers. In conclusion, the common factors affecting their cognition, need and preference of the day care centers were occupation, economic security enough to manage accidents, and friendship satisfaction level. Especially, the subjects who had an occupation, however, not economically secure enough to manage accidents, and who did not live in their own housing with a good perceived health condition, showed high levels of need and preference for the day care centers. These results can be used as basic data to develop the efficient elderly day care centers, thus contribute to the elderly welfare in a local community.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.1 s.79
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• pp.193-207
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze middle-aged salaried workers' retirement plans and the factors that affect the plans. The main point of this study was to compare male workers with female workers on their economic preparation and health care plans. The major findings were as follows; First, middle-aged salaried workers perceived their level of economic retirement plan to be relatively low. Second, the factors the affected the level of economic preparation for post-retirement were their current subjective economic level, age, household assets and debts, economic and health problems expected in their future elderly life, and savings and assets reserved for their elderly life. Third, the factors that affected whether to put aside savings for elderly life or not were age, current subjective economic level, capital assets, and savings and assets reserved for their elderly life. Fourth, the level of preparation for post-retirement health care depended on health problems expected in their elderly life, current subjective economic level, locus of control, job, and expected retirement age. Overall, the factors that affect male salaried workers' economic and health care plans were different from those of female salaried workers. From the findings, it can be concluded that the middle-aged salaried workers' level of economic retirement plans was different from that of their health care plans. Also, male salaried workers' level of retirement plan were different from that of female workers.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.106-120
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• 1999

Japan has been prepared for aging society from 1970. In 1970, the percentage of distribution of population of 65 years old and over was 7.1%. It is similar to present percentile of the elderly in Korea. Therefore, it will be needed to study about home care and home visiting nursing in Japan at present. This study was aimed to prepare the fundamental documents for home care nursing in Korea and to know the background of new health care system of Long-term Care Insurance in Japan, by studying home care and home visiting nursing in Japan. With the continuing aging of the population, especially the increase in the number of latter stage elderly, it is predicted that there will be an increase in the number of the elderly who are bedridden and suffering senile dementia. To ensure that these people will be able to continue living in the communities and homes they are accustomed to, surrounded by their families and neighbors, Japan substantially improve and expand in-home services. There were also long-term effort to reach the level of services outlined in the Gold Plan and the New Gold Plan within the decade between FY 1991 and FY 1999 in the field of health care and welfare. Under this plan, the most noticeable change was occurred in home care, home was permitted as the field of care and visiting nursing was established in law. Through this 10- Year Strategy for Promotion of Health and Welfare Services for the Aged, many problems have been improved and solved, but some problems remained such as inadequate service supply and consumption of medical insurance for the elderly. Japan will be a society composed 25% of elderly people of total population in 2020, and it will be soon faced with a shortage of welfare and medical facilities and manpower. As for equalizing the benefits and cost burdens, and other future arrangements for health care and welfare, Long-term Care insurance system was established in 1994. This system will be enforced from April 2000 and use present facilities and services. To know home care and home visiting nursing in Japan, we need to consider present conditions well and to take notice of changes and measures to cope with an aging society continuously.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.3-20
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was diagnosed to grasp the needs for the elderly-elderly care activity in rural areas. The research was conducted in questions and case studies in 7 farming villages. The major findings of this study as follows: First, the senior citizens in rural areas were not in good health, and the illnesses were revealed to be arthritis, high blood pressure, and diabetes. At the occurrence of an illness, they complained about the discomfort in doing daily life routines and expected eir spouses or offsprings to te care of them. Elders in the rural community responded that they had difficulty and financial problems in family maintenance. Leisure activities included watching TV, playing card/board games, or spending time without any specific activities. Second, recipients of elderly-elderly care expected to receive services from a woman in her 50s $1{\sim}2$ hours, once to twice a week. Third, the service providers wanted to be elderly-elderly care takers, hoping to work once a week for $2{\sim}3$ hours. They wanted the education for the elderly-elderly care to be once a week for 3 hours, with understanding the elderly, consultation, preventing senile dementia, and health as the contents.