• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.321-327
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• 2022

Background: To implement medication management service in Korean nursing home (NH), medication review tool for residents in Korean long-term care facilities was developed. This prospective pilot study aimed to verify the applicability of this newly developed tool and to evaluate the drug related problems (DRPs) identified by pharmacists' medication review in NH setting. Methods: This study was carried out in two NHs in Korea. The elderly residents (65 or older) using 5 or more medications were eligible. Pharmacists conducted medication review and identified the DRPs and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) based on the newly developed tool. Results: Among 43 NH residents, 27 residents agreed to participate. The median age was 87 and about 55.6% of them were taking 10 or more medications. Pharmacists identified a total of 37 PIMs in 18 NH residents (66.7%) and 54 DRPs in 22 residents (81.5%). The most frequent PIM was general-PIM (26 cases) followed by PIM under specific diseases or conditions (7 cases). Out of 77 items contained in the tool, 15 items were detected in study participants. 'Continued use or regular daily use of hypnotics' was the most highly detected item (9 cases) followed by 'multiple prescriptions within each class of hypnotics/sedatives' (5 cases). Among 54 DRPs identified, pharmacist intervened 39 cases (72.2%) and interventions were accepted in 18 cases (46.1%). Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated that newly developed tool is feasible for the nursing home residents. However, further studies with larger population are warranted.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.549-565
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• 2017

A high-quality workforce is essential to delivering the high-quality care for the older people who are beneficiaries of long term care insurance. Providing adequate education and ongoing training opportunities could be one answer that may lead to the ultimate goal of improving the quality of long-term care services. Thus this study aimed to examine a workforce crisis and difficulties that care workers face in current education system, especially in contents and administration aspects and draw out suitable solutions or improvement measures. The focus group interview approach was chosen to reflect opinions of long-term care workers, directors of the education system in long-term care facilities and managers. The findings from the focus group interviews were analyzed by theme and classified into several categories by common subjects:'Training contents', 'Training environment', 'Administrator', 'Compulsory training', 'Care givers supply', 'Working condition'. Also, four content areas were presented as follows:'Job training', 'Dementia care training', 'Administration system', 'Workforce'. The caregivers demand very practical training programmes and trainers with a lot of field experience. Improving the working condition and treatments for them leeds to expand the opportunity of the on-going training.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.49-68
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was 1) to review communal housing in the UK, 2) to consider the policy implications for elderly communal housing in Korea. The research methods used were 1) literature review about communal housing and related policy in the UK 2) field survey in the UK 3) interpretative suggestion for the proper policy implication to develope communal housing for the elderly in Korea. Sheltered housing in the UK had been developed as communal housing for the elderly with special needs since the 1970s. The type of sheltered housing were category 1 and category 2. Very sheltered housing with more facilities and meal services was added in 1980s. Sheltered housing was evaluated as the most humanistic solution for older people in the UK in 1980s. Because of the policy of moving institutional care to community care, sheltered housing became less in demand because of more options for older people including being able to stay in their own home. So new completion of sheltered housing by registered social landlords reduced saliently. Sheltered housing already totalled over half million units in which 5% of all elderly over 65 still lived and a small quantity of private sector for sale schemes emerged in the 1990s. The reason why the residents moved to sheltered housing was for sociable, secure, and manageable living arrangements. In general the residents were satisfied with these characteristics but dissatisfied with the service charge and quality of meals, especially in category 2.5 schemes. The degree of utilisation of communal spaces and facilities depended on the wardens ability and enthusiasm. Evaluation of sheltered housing indicated several problems such as wardens duty as a \"good neighbour\" ; difficult-to-let problems with poor location or individual units of bedsittiing type with shared bathroom ; and the under use of communal spaces and facilities. Some ideas to solve these problems were suggested by researchers through expanding wardens duty as a professional, opening the scheme to the public, improving interior standards, and accepting non-elderly applicants who need support. Some researchers insisted continuing development of sheltered housing, but higher standards must be considered for the minority who want to live in communal living arrangement. Recently, enhanced sheltered housing with greater involvement of relatives and with tied up policy in registration and funding suggested as an alternative for residential care. In conclusion, the rights of choice for older people should be policy support for special needs housing. Elderly communal housing, especially a model similar to sheltered housing category 2 with at least 1 meal a day might be recommended for a Korean Model. For special needs housing development either for rent or for sale, participation of the public sector and long term and low interest financial support for the private sector must be developed in Korea. Providing a system for scheme managers to train and retrain must be encouraged. The professional ability of the scheme manager to plan and to deliver services might be the most important factor for the success of elderly communal housing projects in Korea. In addition the expansion of a public health care service, the development of leisure programs in Senior Citizens Centre, home helper both for the elderly in communal housing and the elderly in mainstream housing of the community as well. Providing of elderly communal housing through the modified general Construction Act rather than the present Elderly Welfare Act might be more helpful to encourage the access of general people in Korea. in Korea.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.61-69
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• 2021

Purpose: Senior long-term care facilities are vulnerable to a cluster infection because of frequent physical contact, large group dining, communal living, and room sharing. This study aims to provide architectural improvement plans for a quarantine system in the facilities. Methods: Actual quarantine action data, guidelines from governments and institutes, in-depth interviews with facility staff are analyzed. Results: To prevent a cluster infection in the senior facilities, it is necessary to provide an architectural plan focusing on increasing the number of single rooms and isolation rooms, providing isolation rooms for staff, separation of a soiled room from a clean room, planing an entry vestibule and a visitor's room. Implications: It is important to analyze the existing condition of facilities that had been going through cohort isolation and provide the architectural solution to strengthen infection control.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.193-203
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was done to develop a predictive model for quality of life of elderly residents in long-term care facilities (LTCF). The study was based on Brofenbrenner's ecological system theory and a literature review. Methods: Data were collected using a convenience sample of 205 elderly residents in 2 nursing homes located in D city and 1 nursing home located in K province. The exogenous variables were individual factors, family support, and facility environmental factors. The endogenous variables were self-esteem, accommodation adaptation and quality of life of elderly residents in LTCF. Collected data were analyzed through structural equation modeling using AMOS 20.0. Results: Eleven of the twelve hypotheses were supported, but the hypothesis that facility environment factors effect self-esteem was not supported. Quality of life of elderly residents in LTCF was explained first by facility environmental factors, followed by self-esteem, individual factors, accommodation adaptation, and family support with an explanatory power of 83.0%. Conclusion: To improve the quality of life of elderly residents in LTCF, the service and environment preparation provided by facilities is important, and it is necessary to provide emotional counseling to improve the self-esteem of these elders.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.426-436
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze factors affecting malnutritional status of elders with dementia in facilities. The subjects were 140 elders with dementia residing in three nursing facilities in Chungnam, South Korea. Data were collected from May 30 to September 30 in 2016, using questionnaires. The collected data were tested by t-test, ANOVA, correlation, regression analysis. The malnutritional status of elders with dementia in facilities was high in the high-risk group (84, 60.0%), and the nutritional status was appeared to be related to sex, long-term care grade, Korean version-Activities of Daily Living and feeding difficulty and cognitive function. As a result of multiple regression analysis, significant influence variables on malnutritional status were Activities of Daily Living(${\beta}=0.379$, p=.001), feeding difficulty(${\beta}=0.264$, p=.001), cognitive function(${\beta}=-0.187$, p=.014) and these variables showed an explanatory power of 35.9% on malnutritional status. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for the development of malnutritional status improvement program for elders in facilities with dementia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2019

In this study we compared the cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening: MMSE-DS) and nutrient intake of elderly women with dementia in a long-term care facility (EW-LCF) and a day-time care facility (EW-DCF). This survey was conducted from July 2015 to May 2017 on 73 elderly women with dementia (47 women in LCF and 26 women in DCF) in the city of Incheon. The data obtained from interviews with the subjects and caregivers were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0. The total score of the MMSE-DS and intakes of most nutrients in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). The nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of protein, vitamin A, C, $B_6$, $B_{12}$, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). However, the indexes of nutritional quality (INQ) of vitamin C, $B_6$, thiamine, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and iron in the EW-LCF were significantly higher compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). As a result, the subjects showed an unbalanced and insufficient nutrition intake status regardless of the type of care facility. Most nutrient intakes of the EW-LCF with lower cognitive function were very significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.001). Therefore, it is necessary to assess the cognitive function and nutritional status regularly at care facilities for the elderly women suffering with dementia and to provide specialized individual nutritional management.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.400-415
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• 2013

The purpose of the study was to examine the current status of nutritional management at elderly nursing homes. A survey was performed of 83 nursing homes from January 5, 2011 to January 21, 2011 via mail. A total of 34 nursing homes responded to the survey and 149 elderly subjects were analyzed according to the presence of a dietitian. Among the 34 nursing homes, 70.6% had a dietitian on duty. All of the facilities with a dietitian had the dietitian making the meal plan, whereas 70% of the facilities without dietitian served meals planned by a non-professional person. Overall, however, a low proportion of nursing homes implemented dietetic treatments for residents with diseases. For the nutritional assessment of these residents, a mini nutritional assessment (MNA) was performed. MNA scores were significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), calf circumference (CC), ingestion problems, and weight loss during the last 3 months (P<0.001). Among the elderly studied, 5.4% were malnourished, and 36.9% were at risk for malnutrition by MNA score. The results of this survey show that the current management of nutrition at nursing homes is insufficient because the elderly who needed dietetic treatment did not receive proper care. Dietetic management is the most important service in all nursing homes. Therefore, to improve the nutritional status of elderly residents in nursing homes, systematic nutrition management by nutrition experts should be implemented.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.175-199
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• 2007

The study analyzes the characteristics, work stress, satisfaction and attitudes toward dementia of social care work force for dependent elders in Korea. Data were from 502 staffs including social workers, nurses, and direct care workers from 45 diverse type of nursing facilities in Busan and Daegu area. The results of the analysis indicate that they are low paid and overloaded in general. The respondents espoused highly hopeful and person-centered attitudes toward dementia and the elderly, while they showed low level of satisfaction related to work. The stress levels were higher in sub scales concerning care tasks and physical environments in work places. In addition, the results of multiple regression denote that those have higher level of satisfaction who are nurses, have no intension to quit, have more experiences of work education, and working in facilities with more frail elders. Stresses were closely related to higher level of education and the intension to quit. Person centered attitude was more often reported by those who have more elderly clients to take care of and are working in facilities with more elders who are demented and over 80. In particular, the association was consistent between higher level of job satisfaction and the person centered attitude. Several practical suggestions linked to the analysis were made including improving the welfare for staffs working in nursing facilities and providing continuous professional training and education for them particularly on person-centered care. In addition, it was emphasized to raise the morale of social care work force considering the rapidly increasing need of long term care and the important influence that care work force has on older persons' quality of life from now on.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify a potential user's need for use and operational of the elderly day care center and to identify the problems and suggest development directions. The data collection was conducted on 320 ordinary people living in J-do through a questionnaire, and sought to understand the operational status of in-depth interview institutions for the heads and employees of six center. As a result of the analysis, a potential user's ware not aware of the functions and specific roles of day care center, the cost of facilities was covered by the government, and that facilities and the environment were important factors when using the center. In-depth interviews show that the current policy or system is far from reality and does not fit the status or role of the workers and the operational status of the agency, requiring the re-establishment of the on-site system. Based on the research results, the development direction of day care facilities requires active promotion and strengthening of family support for improving and enhancing awareness of day care facilities to citizens at the national level. Second, the quality of nursing services should be enhanced through improvements in facilities and the environment that reflect users' needs. Third, The government should improve the quality of nursing services by improving the poor employment conditions and treatment of workers to fit the reality.