• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.622-631
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the factors that influence the life satisfaction of the elderly according to their cognitive impairment level. Methods: This study was conducted by dividing 3,012 elderly residents of a regional community into three groups based on the scores of the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination: a normal group without any cognitive impairment, a suspicious group with a mild level of cognitive impairment, and a high risk group with a high level of cognitive impairment. Researchers made phone calls, house calls, and personal visits to health centers and shelters for the elderly to gather the information required for this study. Results: The results of this study revealed that social relationships, depression, and activities of daily living had a significant impact on life satisfaction for the normal group, while social relationships and depression had a high impact on life satisfaction for the suspicious group, and social relationships had high impact on the life satisfaction of the high risk group. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we suggest that programs that promote development of the social relationship networks of the elderly should be established to promote their life satisfaction.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.333-346
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to identify factors that influence depression for low-income elderly who live at home from the International Classification of Functioning model (ICF). Methods: The subjects were 205 elderly people living at home in two public health centers located in metropolitan cities. Subjects were divided according to their depression scores, which were measured using the GDS-short form, including normal, risk, and depression groups. Each variable was consistent with factors of the ICF model, including health condition, individual factors, environmental factors, body function, activities, and participation. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. ANOVA, $x^2$, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Multinomial logistic regression with IBM SPSS 21.0 were used for analysis of the data. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed among normal, risk, and depression groups regarding personal factors. Gender, education level, numbers of diseases, perceived health, life satisfaction, and social support were identified as the variables that had a significant impact on depression of low-income elderly living at home. Conclusion: Results of this study indicate that there is a need for construction and implementation of strategies that strengthen life satisfaction and social support in order to lower depression of low-income elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.11-17
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• 2011

Background: To evaluate the influences of Eye movement program applied to elderly people on static balance. Methods: The subjects consisted of fourteen elderly people. The subjects were divided into two group. The control group (n=7) received no exercise and/or stimulation. The Eye movement program training (E/P) group (n=7) performed balance training using word card and batom. E/P group were accomplished during 4weeks (5 day/week, 60 min/day). All tests were completed before and after experiment. The static balance ability was measured by normal standing when eye open and close on good balance system, respectively. For each case, the experimental data were obtained in 3 item; mean X speed, mean Y speed and velocity moment. Results: The result of this study were as follows: 1. In E/P group, the statistically significants were shown on only mean Y speed in the case of normal standing when eye open (p<.05), but the statistically significants were not shown on mean X, Y speed and velocity moment in the case of normal standing when eye close (p>.05). 2. In control group, the statistically significants were not shown on all posture (p>.05). 3. There was a statistically significant difference on the mean Y speed and velocity moment in the case of normal standing when eye open between control group and E/P group (p<.05). Conclusions: The above results revealed that balance training using Eye movement program were partly effective for improving the static balance ability.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among a group of community-dwelling elderly and to determine if there were differences in general characteristics, activities of daily living (ADL), perceived health status (PHS) between the MCI group and group of elderly with normal cognitive function. Methods: This study utilized a descriptive survey design. Six hundred and five subjects over the age 65 were recruited from an S public health center, Seoul. Data were gathered through a variety of instruments: MoCA-K, K-MMSE, K-MBI, S-IADL, and PHS scale. Data were analyzed by SPSS/WIN 18.0 using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test and t-test. Results: The prevalence of MCI among the subjects was 46.0%. Differences in IADL, PHS, age, education, sex, and residing with a spouse were statistically significant between groups. The MCI group had lower IADL, lower PHS, were older, and had lower educational levels than the group with normal cognitive function. Further, the MCI group was less likely to live with a spouse. Conclusion: It is suggested that MCI group should be targeted in developing and implementing nursing strategies to prevent dementia and improve the elderly cognitive function.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.254-260
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Occupation-based Reminiscence training on cognitive function, depression, and quality of life of the normal elderly. Subjects were 19 normal elderly. The evaluation was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Korean Version, Short Form of Geriatric Depression Scale-Korean Version, and the Geriatric Quality of Life. The Occupation-based Reminiscence training was conducted once a week for an hour for a total of 8 weeks. The collected data was confirmed using the Wilcoxon signed test. As a result of the training, significant positive changes in cognitive function, depression, and quality of life of the subjects were confirmed after application of Occupation-based Reminiscence training. From this result, it was confirmed that the Occupation-based Reminiscence training is a positive training method for improving cognitive function and preventing dementia of the normal elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.262-267
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was designed to analyze the differences in cerebral cortex activity of the elderly after extracting the movement related cortical potentials (MRCPs) from electroencephalogram (EEG) during a concentric and eccentric contraction of the elbow joint flexors, and entering them into the brain-mapping program to make the images. Methods: Right-dominant normal elderly people were divided into an eccentric contraction group and a concentric contraction group. Then, their MRCPs were measured using EEG and sEMG, during an eccentric and concentric contraction. Then, they were converted into images using the brain-mapping program. Results: Eccentric contraction group's $C_3$ and Cz showed statistically higher mean values of MRCP positive potential than the concentric contraction group. Conclusion: Researching a cerebral cortex activity, using MRCP, would provide basic data for clinical neuro-physiological researches on aging or neural plasticity of patients with a central nervous system injury.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.18-21
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• 2001

The change of sleep pattern is one of the most often altered normal physiological functions in elderly people. Besides normal change of sleep, insomnia and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) are (one of) the main complaints. In addition, parasomnia is also frequent in this age group. Several parasomnias frequently found in the elderly are reviewed. Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS), restless legs syndrome (RLS), and REM sleep behavior disorder are the most frequent parasomnias in old age. Most parasomnias could be diagnosed by polysomnography, and be treated easily. Therefore, early and precise diagnosis and management for parasomnia in aging people are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2022

Objectve: To inform a clinical usefulness of Nangan-geon (暖肝煎) decoction to treat a refractory abdominal pain especially in eldery. Methods: This case report presents an 85-year old male patient who had been suffered with a refractory abdominal pain without any abnormality in laboratory test and radiological examination for 5-years. The clinical outcome was observed by numerical rating scale (NRS) of self-reporting method. Results: Based on his previous multiple normal examination results from Western hospitals and clinical features including thin body (19.6 BMI), nocturnal pain around lower abdomen and cold-sensitivity, author diagnosed him as "deficiency and cold of liver-Qi (肝氣虛寒)" similar to intestinal spasm. After prescription with Nangan-geon (暖肝煎) for one month, all symptoms became improved notably (NRS 5), and almost completely recovered as a level of normal condition in 3 months (NRS 1). Conclusion: This study would show the potential of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) therapies for a refractory functional abdominal pain, and especially efficacy of Nangan-geon against cold-pattern of nonspecific abdominal pain in elderly patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.212-215
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined whether there is a difference in motor learning through short-term repetitive movement practice in stroke survivors with a unilateral brain injury compared to normal elderly participants. Methods: Twenty-six subjects who were divided into a stroke group (n=13) or sex-aged matched normal elder group (n=13) participated in this study. To evaluate the effects of motor learning, the participants conducted a tracking task for visuomotor coordination. The accuracy index was calculated for each trial. Both groups received repetitive tracking task training of metacarpophalangeal joint for 50 trials. The stroke group performed a tracking task in the upper extremity insi-lesional to the damaged hemisphere, and the normal elder group performed the upper extremity matched for the same side. Results: Two-way repetitive ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the interactions ($time{\times}group$) and time effects. These results indicated that the motor skill improved in both the stroke and normal elder group with a tracking task. On the other hand, the stroke group showed lesser motor learning skill than the normal elder group, in comparison with the amount of motor learning improvement. Conclusion: These results provide novel evidence that stroke survivors with unilateral brain damage might have difficulty in performing ipsilateral movement as well as in motor learning with the ipsilateral upper limb, compared to normal elderly participants.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.351-356
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the gait characteristics in Parkinson's disease patients. Specifically, the total stance time and the ratio of each stance phase (heel strike, mid-stance, propulsion) are analyzed from the foot-pressure measurement system which requires low cost and small space compared to the conventional gait analysis system. The gait characteristics were analyzed in 23 Parkinson's disease patients (before and after L-dopa medication), 34 elderly (sixties) normal subjects and 21 young (twenties) normal subjects. Bradykinesia global score (self-developed score of slowness of body movement) of patients before medication was determined to see the relationship between the score and the gait characteristics. The total stance time was greater in the erde. of patients, elderly, youngs (p<0.05). The phase ratio of heel strike and propulsion was smaller and that of mid-stance was greater in the order of patients, elderly, youngs (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the above gait characteristics of patients before and after medication. There was a tendency, though statistically non-significant, that the total stance time is longer and the propulsion phase ratio is shorter in patients with greater Bradikinesia global scale, and this tendency was relieved after medication.