• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2015

Objective : Positive psychotherapy is based on the premise that positive thoughts and satisfaction with life are determinants for improving the symptoms of depressive disorder. This article highlights the effectiveness of group positive psychotherapy on the elderly living alone with depressive disorder in Korea. Methods : A total of 25 Korean elderly living alone with depressive disorder participated in group positive psychotherapy. The participants completed the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Positive Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) before and after the group positive psychotherapy. Results : The HAMD and PTQ scores of the participants after the group positive psychotherapy were higher than before the psychotherapy. A correlation between the age of patients and improvement of symptoms after group positive psychotherapy was found : the older the patients were, the better the improvements were. Conclusion : The study shows that group positive psychotherapy in the elderly living alone is effective in improving the symptoms of depressive disorder. The participant's age was found to be a factor that affects the improvement of depressive disorder symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.235-245
• /
• 2017

Purpose: Reported insomnia and decreased sleep quality are common among older adults. The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to insomnia and decreased sleep quality among elderly persons living within a community. The data will be verified with Actigraph which is a non-invasive measurement of rest/activity cycles. Methods: 137 participants over 65 years old were recruited from a senior welfare center. Their mean age was $74.07{\pm}5.18years$ old and majority was women (69.3%). The quality and quantity of nighttime sleep were assessed using Varren-synder-Halper Sleep Scale and a sleep log. Depression and fatigue were assessed using Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form and Fatigue Severity Scale, respectively. Pain was assessed using 11-point Numeric rating scale. An actigraph was used to verify the self-reported sleep. Results: Ninety-two participants (67.2%) reported insomnia. Sixty-eight subjects (49.6%) reported good sleep. Of the participants, 56.2% reported depression and 33.6% reported fatigue. In logistic regression, depression was related to insomnia (OR=3.09, p=.003). Sleep quality was related to depression (OR=2.13, p=.045) and fatigue (OR=2.24, p=.044). The data from the Sleep logs correlated with data obtained from the actigraph. Conclusion: Depression significantly influenced insomnia and sleep quality whereas fatigue only influenced sleep quality. Thus, depression and fatigue should be closely monitored among elderly persons with sleep disturbances.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.20-27
• /
• 2004

It is widely accepted that smooth muscle contraction is triggered by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) released from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores such as sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and from the extracellular space, The increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ can phosphorylate the 20-kDa myosin light chain ($MLC_{20}$) by activating MLC kinase (MLCK), and this initiates smooth muscle contraction. In addition to the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$-MLCK-tension pathway, a number of intracellular signal molecules, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), protein kinase C (PKC), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and Rho-associated coiled coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK), play important roles in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. However, the mechanisms regulating contraction of caldesmon (CaD), actin-binding protein, are not entirely elucidated in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. It is known that CaD tightly interacts with actin and inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the roles of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaD in smooth muscle contraction. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), G-protein coupled receptor agonist and vasoconstrictor, increased both vascular smooth contraction and phosphorylation of CaD in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. These results suggest that ET-1 induces contraction and phosphorylation of CaD in rat aortic smooth muscle, which may he mediated by the increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.412-421
• /
• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the status of Successful Aging among the elderly aged 65 and over in rural areas and to compare factors related with Successful Aging between "kyung-ro-dang" users and non-users. Methods: A total of 181 elderly aged 65 or older were selected from four districts (Heung-upri, Mejiri, Sajerri, and Daeanri) of Wonju city. A survey method using face to face interviews was applied to collect information. Successful aging was measured on a 5-point Likert-type scale using the successful aging scale developed for the Korean elderly, which indicates the higher the score, the higher the level of successful aging. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were computed; the level of significance was set at 5%. Hierarchical polynomial regression was applied to find out the factors associated with successful aging. Results: Of the total, 112 elders used kyung-ro-dang and 69 elders who did not use kyung-ro-dang. The level of successful aging of the elderly was higher among kyung-ro-dang users than non-users. The factors related to successful aging among kyung-ro-dang users were walking and social participation. Users who walk more than 4 times per week and social participation activities have a higher level of satisfaction. In the case of non-users, a higher level of monthly income, having a spouse, social support, and social participation associated with a higher level of successful aging. Conclusion: Monthly income, social participation, and social factors were found to be related to successful aging along with physical and mental health conditions among the elderly in rural areas. Therefore, it can be concluded that income, social as well as mental and physical factors, are more critical for successful aging in the rural community care in Korea.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.92-103
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of life of the elderly people with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods: The data were collected from 307 older adults aged 65 years or older with chronic musculoskeletal pain, who visited senior welfare centers in two cities. We used self-rated questionnaires including NRS for pain, WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life, Pain Response Inventory for coping responses to pain, and MSPSS for social support. Stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed using SPSS/WIN 23.0 to identify factors affecting the study subjects' quality of life. Results: The regression model explained 43% of quality of life, which was statistically significant (F=34.11, p<.001). Educational level of high school (${\beta}=.13$, p=.006), pain (${\beta}=-.13$, p=.013), restriction of function (${\beta}=-.13$, p=.028), accommodative pain coping (${\beta}=.24$, p<.001), family support (${\beta}=.18$, p<.001), colleague's support (${\beta}=.25$, p<.001), and perceived health status (${\beta}=.25$, p<.001) were identified as influential factors on subjects' quality of life. Conclusion: Developing integrative interventions is necessary to improve accommodative pain coping skills and to engage family and colleague in support for positive perception of older adults' health status and management of symptoms.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.321-332
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify relationships among level of e-Health literacy, subjective health status and health-seeking behaviors. Subjects were 102 senior citizens who used the internet at least once in the last month and visited elderly community centers and welfare centers. Collected data were analyzed descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, and Multiple Regression using SPSS version 25.0. Fifty five percent of subjects responded the average weekly internet usage hours was 'less than 3 hours', The e-health literacy (r=.349, p<.001) and subjective health status (r=.466, p<.001) were positively correlated with health seeking behavior. Subjects' gender (β=.22, p=.012), type of disease (β=.23, p=.013) and subjective health status (β=.38, p<.001) had significant effects on health-seeking behaviors. The results suggest that the development of intervention programs to increase the level of e-Health literacy and subjective health status to improve of their health-seeking behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.114-122
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effect of integrated nursing using cognicise and neurofeedback on cognition and α waves among elderly individuals. Methods: This quasi-experimental single group pretest-posttest study included 29 Korean adults aged 65 years or older who participated at a senior welfare center in Y city from February to May 2019. Each integrated nursing session consisted of cognicise (10 minutes) and neurofeedback (20 minutes). Subjects participated twice a week for 10 weeks. Structured questionnaires to assess participants' general characteristics and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination for Dementia Screening (K-MMSE-DS) were applied. Alpha waves were measured using BrainMaster. Results: Following the integrated nursing program, alpha waves improved in F3 (t=2.41, p=.023), C3 (t=3.00, p=.006), C4 (t=2.60, p=.015), P3 (t=2.43, p=.022), O1 (t=2.30, p=.029), T3 (t=3.05, p=.005), T4 (t=2.28, p=.030), T5 (t=2.91, p=.007), Fz (t=2.30, p=.029), Cz (t=2.73, p=.011), and Pz (t=2.23, p=.034). Most subjects experienced improvement in concentration after participating in the intervention. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the use of a neuroscientific approach including brain wave measurement to improve cognitive health among community-living elderly people.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.33-39
• /
• 2018

This study was to examine the effect of self taping therapy on pain relief and improvement of daily living for older adult having knee pain. This study was conducted with a nonequivalent control group pre-test and post-test design. A total of 69 older adult in senior welfare center were recruited and were assigned to the experimental group (33) or control group (36). Self taping therapy was provided to the experimental group replace daily and apply for 7days. Data were collected before and after the intervention program. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, Chi-square test, and t-test with SPSS Statistics IBM 21.0 program. Knee pain(t=9.59, p<.001) and physical functions(t=7.02, p<.001) were significantly decreased in the experimental group. This study found that self taping therapy could be a useful self-management method that older adult with knee pain use easily at home.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.116-127
• /
• 2013

Korea, like most of other countries, is enforcing the national pension as social insurance which is a kind of the income policy. Despite the fundamental limitation on public pension or the imperfect policy, the guarantee of the minimum living standard for maintaining dignity of human being is not being reached for the standard. Poverty rate of the elderly in Korea is the first among the OECD countries and public pension dead zone is very large. The elderly low income class could become a serious social problem if low fertility and aging keep getting worse. In this study, I will analyze the present condition of the retirement security for the elderly in South Korea. Also, I will look into the present situation of old-age income security and determine problems, and propose the improvement devices for related laws.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 2013

This study targeted 501 the elderly ages 65 or over in three places including the Senior Welfare Center and the college for seniors located in Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do. The study results on the preference for oral health care management items across different ages showed that the age group of 65~69 fluoride application; the age group of 65~74 scaling and education of brushing; the age group of 70~74 denture cleaning and maintenance; the age group of 75 denture production. In the relationship between the self-perceived oral condition and the items of oral health care management, respondents who currently have a poor oral condition or have greater chewing trouble, or have higher dry mouth, preference the manufacturing of dentures in most cases. Respondents who have a lower number of teeth or wear dentures preference dentures cleansing and management in most cases. Respondents who have shaking teeth or have frequent tooth pain preference tooth extraction. Since the preference for oral health care management items may differ by their age or oral condition, oral health management customized to each individual should be applied.