• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 2011

Purpose: This paper was aimed to investigate the effect of laugher therapy on the pain, depression and sleep disturbance in elderly patients who admitted in long term care facility. Method: This study used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. A sample of 40 elderly patients (20: experimental group, 20: control group, 65 or older) were recruited. Visual analogue scale was used to measure level of pain level, Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version (GDSSF-K) for depression. Sleep Scale for sleep. The laugher therapy was given twice a week for four weeks (8 times). Each therapy consists of preparatory, action and finishing stage. Data were analyzed by PASW 18.0. Results: The pain score in experimental group was significantly different from that in control group (t=4.17, p<.001). The level of depression in experimental group was significantly different from that in control group (Z=4.12, p<.000). The level of sleep in experimental group was not significantly different from that in control group (Z=-1.43, p<.152). Conclusion: A laugher therapy is expected to be practical used an efficient method of a nursing intervention to elderly patients in long term care facility.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.300-309
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of intervention using the therapeutic robot, PARO, on the cognition, emotion, problem behavior, and social interaction of elderly people with dementia. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. A total of 33 elderly people with dementia living in a nursing home facility participated in the study, with 17 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group. The intervention program with PARO was administered twice a week for 6 weeks, for a total of 12 sessions. Data were collected before and after intervention, using a questionnaire, direct observation, and video recording. Results: There were statistically significant differences in positive emotions and problem behaviors between the groups. The experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement in social interaction. Conclusion: PARO intervention can be utilized as an effective nursing intervention to increase positive emotions and social interaction, as well as decrease problem behaviors, in elderly people with dementia living in nursing home facilities.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.14 no.6 s.53
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• pp.148-156
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate spatial characteristics and using behavior of activity room in skilled nursing facilities for the elderly and to provide basic guidelines about its space planning. The activity rooms in the most of the research facilities were arranged by usage modification of unnecessary spaces after the foundation of the facility, and were used not only for the program service but for the staff lounge. It decreased space speciality and resulted in limited area of the space and crowded furniture arrangement. The design guidelines for activity room were as follows. First, the space plan of activity room is based on the use of once to twice per week and for 30 minutes per use, and is mainly for the human knowledge and art programs that are appropriate for small group. Second, the activity room of the facility with less than 3 stories needs to be in the same floor as elderly individual room, but should be independent and easy to be controlled by the staff. On the other hand, in more than 4 stories facility, it is better to be in the different floor as the elderly living area such as administrational area close to the lounge and garden. Third, at least $5.9m^{2}$ per user for the area of the activity room is recommended including the elderly, staff, furniture, equipments and restroom. Fourth, the furniture of activity room includes the shelves, big table with enough knee space, wheel, and stopper, and stackable chairs. Toilets and water closet are needed for the emergency, and the windows to the corridor and curtain door should be avoided for soundproof and easy access of wheelchair users.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual conditions of the floor area of skilled nursing facilities in rural area. The thorough investigation and observation works were made from the viewpoints of floor area of the skilled nursing facilities. This article discusses about the basic condition and the floor area for daily living activities of the elderly in 3 skilled nursing facilities in west gyeongnam province. As the result, There is a wide gap between floor area ratio of skilled nursing facilities. The characteristics of the private establishment skilled nursing facilities in the west gyeongnam province were figured out through the analysis of spatial composition in skilled nursing facilities for the elderly. The skilled nursing facilities in west gyeongnam mainly focus on the living environment orientated toward the bedroom. The difficulty is to encourage the communication between the skilled nursing facility patients because the facilities are composed of small semi-public zone.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2014

Purpose: AIn recent years, the rapid progress of aging and the increase in the elderly people with dementia is becoming a big social issue. Therefore, this paper studies the development of therapeutic environmental rating scales for the elderly people with dementia in korean nursing homes. Methods: We identify the development process and structure of TESS-NH and understand the details of its nature and features. Then, based on the detailed items, we provide major scale factors which do influence on therapeutic environmental rating scales using PCA. Results: In the results, TESS, in the case of the initial stage of TESS-NH, has an advantage to evaluate on physical environments for a short period of time. TESS-2 + sets a large rage of activities of the elderly people with dementia, and tries to evaluate ongoing cares. TESS-NH has a complete set of well-thought-out assessment features for improving quality of care (Quality of Care) On the other hand, the main factors affecting the therapeutic environmental rating scales in nursing homes are "a consideration for facility management (Care for facilities' maintenance)", "a consideration for spatial cognition (Care for spatial cognition) ", and "a consideration for the safety (Care for safety)". Implications: In the future, to develop the therapeutic environmental rating scales on Korea's dementia nursing home, we should actively consider cares of spaces and facility utilization which the residents (the elderly people with dementia) are more secure and comfortable.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.73-77
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• 2010

The study investigated the actual conditions of U.S. nursing-home facilities and Korean nursing homes and conducted a comparative analysis of those nursing facilities to propose the following suggestions for facility improvement: 1.) The number of sickbeds per nursing unit in Korea should be maintained a level of more than 30 beds like the United States, and each rest room in a residential facility should have an area of at least 4.2 square meters. 2.) Each room of a nursing home should be occupied by four or less persons for privacy. 3,) The minimum areas of residential rooms should be larger than 9.2 sq. meters for single rooms and 6.1 sq. meters for quadruple rooms. 4.) Nursing homes for the elderly need to improve rest room spaces and interior fishes to prevent them from falling down and getting hurt and thus help them live safely.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.244-250
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate medication and related factors including: gender, age, duration of hospitalization, MMSE, and ADL in elderly who were hospitalized in long-term care facilities. Methods: A total of 282 elderly people who were hospitalized for more than a month were asked to fill in a structured questionnaire which was used to collect data regarding their gender, age, duration of hospitalization, MMSE, ADL, and medication. Results: The average number of drugs per patient was 7.50. Subjects taking 6-7 medications were the highest ranking (23.7%). According to multiple regression analysis, the most significant factor relating to the number of drugs prescribed for each subject were the ages of the subjects (p=.007). Conclusion: We found that the number of prescribed drugs taken by those who were hospitalized were related to age. A tailored strategy is needed to decrease the number of drugs according to age and to control the medicines prescribed to the elderly who are hospitalized in long-term care facilities.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.13-21
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to suggest optimum size of residents' bedrooms in nursing homes. Bedroom is an essential part of nursing homes because nursing home residents spend most of their times in bedrooms and occupy the largest part of facility area. Therefore it is necessary to set an adequate standard related to resident room area in nursing facilities, which have a great effect on planning longterm care facilities for the elderly. The body dimensions of elderly people and care givers have been collected from the previous study. Based on the body dimensions data, the behaviors of elderly as well as care givers have been analysed. The minimum areas-exclusive of toilets, closets, vestibules and so on - have been proposed from the results of the behavior analysis.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.284-295
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare the hypertension management between a non-elderly group and elderly group of hypertension patients in Community residents. The study also sought to generate strategies for increasing the hypertension management of residents using Community health center. Methods: Data on the general characteristics and hypertension management from 381 hypertension patients between non-elderly and elderly, living in P city, Gyeonggi Province and C city, Chungnam Province. South Korea, were collected based on a structured questionnaire, The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 statistics program. Results: The use of a Community health center in the non-elderly and elderly groups showed a statistically significant difference in facility excellence and cheaper cost. Hypertension management was measured every day, The daily blood pressure and physician counseling was performed according to the changes in blood pressure. The management of hypertension medication in a community health center provided for hypertensive patients can be evaluated as an efficient service. Conclusion: The self-management ability of hypertension needs to be improved. In particular, especially, the elderly managed by the Community health center have good accessibility and a good alternative for the treatment cost. Therefore, it is necessary to provide support and measures to make hypertension management safer.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.668-678
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• 2002

Purpose: The number of nursing home residents has been increasing in Korea. Nurses need to know the lived experience of relocation of the elderly to long-term care facilities. However, studies on this issue has not yet been conducted in Korea. Therefore, this study was carried out to understand the experience of institutionalization of the elderly using a phenomenological approach. Method: There were 11 participants who consisted of 5 men and 6 women living in 3 different nursing homes. The data was collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation from June 1999 to October 2001, and analyzed by Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Result: A total of 275 meaningful statements related to the experience of institutionalization by the elderly were obtained. Of the 275 statements, 175 were found as the statements with more general forms. 28 themes were grouped into 8 theme clusters. These theme clusters included' resentment at their sons', irresistible admission', 'humiliation on institutionalization', 'being unbearable to shock', 'grief to unfamiliarity', 'being in agony of outwards', 'regret for self-life' and 'comfort for new residence'. Conclusion: Based on these results. we can understand the lived experience of institutionalization of the Korean elderly. We need to develop a nursing program to help the elderly cope with this crisis, and studies about the familys experience on their parents admission to institutionalized facility warrant further exploration.