• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.367-379
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to understand and describe the caring experiences of spouses of elderly people with dementia. Methods: The hermeneutic phenomenological method was used and participants were 12 spouses aged 65 and over who were taking care of their husbands or wives with dementia at home. Data were collected from individual in-depth interviews on participants' actual caring experiences. Additionally, novels, movies, and memoirs on elderly couples with partner who had dementia were included as data for the analysis. The qualitative data analysis software program was used to manage and process the collected qualitative data. Data were analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenological analysis based on four fundamental existentials including lived body, lived space, lived time, and lived others. Results: Five essential themes emerged from the analysis: 1) body moving like an old machine, 2) swamp of despair filling with hope, 3) sweet time after bitterness, 4) disappointed elderly couple in the empty nest, and 5) unappreciation vs. empathetic feelings. These essential themes were comprehensively summarized as "the road leading to the maturation of life with dedication and hope while bearing the weight of caring based on the couple's relationship." Conclusion: The findings indicate that the nature of the caring experience of spouses of elderly individuals with dementia is filled with many dynamic and paradoxical dimensions. Thus, results of the study would help with developing interventions tailored specifically for elderly spouse caregivers to support their role adaptation and ultimately improving their quality of life.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.125-135
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• 2022

In this study, using KLoSA data, it was verified whether subjective expectations and depression had a multi-mediated effect on life satisfaction of the elderly with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. As a result of the analysis, first, it was analyzed that the higher the IADL of the elderly with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, the lower the subjective expectation, the higher the depression, and the lower the life satisfaction. Second, it was analyzed that as the subjective expectations of the elderly with dementia and mild cognitive impairment increased, depression decreased and life satisfaction increased. Third, it was analyzed that IADL in the elderly with dementia and mild cognitive impairment not only directly affects life satisfaction, but also indirectly affects life satisfaction through subjective expectations and depression, so it has a multi-mediated effect. Therefore, it is necessary to expand subjective expectations by expanding service providers that can support daily life restrictions for the elderly with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, providing regular programs by experts to reduce depression, and establishing new national pension benefits for dependents.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to contribute to the development of an oral hygiene care program for patients with dementia by understanding the oral care status and oral health knowledge of care workers and caregivers with regard to patients with dementia. Methods: For about two months from May to June 2018, a survey of care workers and caregivers working in long-term nursing homes and elderly-specialized nursing hospitals was performed, and 442 people were selected for the final analysis. The frequency and percentage were calculated to understand the oral care status and oral health knowledge regarding patients with dementia, and an independent t-test was conducted to determine the difference between the elderly oral health knowledge of care workers and caregivers. Multiple regression analysis was also carried out to examine factors affecting elderly oral health knowledge. Results: With respect to the factor of oral health education in elderly oral health knowledge, oral health knowledge was shown to be highest when participants responded that education was unnecessary (p<0.001), and regarding the will to participate in oral health education, oral health knowledge was highest when participants responded as having no desire to participate (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that a standard manual should be developed for the accurate and qualitative management of oral hygiene care tasks performed by care workers and caregivers who are in charge of oral care for patients with dementia in order to provide continuous and systematic oral care.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.429-443
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the influencing factors of caregiver burden on the oral health-related quality of life of the spouse of an elderly person with dementia at home. Methods: The participants were 115 spouses of dementia patients registered at dementia safety centers in five health centers in D city. Data were collected from June through December in 2019, using questionnaires of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49) and Burden Interview (BI). The data were analyzed using an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 Program. Results: A negative correlation was observed between the oral health-related quality of life and caregiver burden (r=-37, p<.001). The caregiver burden (β=-.28, p=.001), subjective health status (β=.39, p<.001), and dental clinic visit (β=-.25, p=.002) explained 33.0% of the variance in the oral health-related quality of life. Conclusion: The development of nursing care for spouses of dementia patients will be needed to reduce the caregiver burden and enhance subjective health status and dental clinic visit, which influence the oral health-related quality of life of spouse of elderly people with dementia at home.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.165-182
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• 2005

The main purposes of this study are to describe the elderly dementia, and to explore characteristics of the elderly dementia among the aged 65 and over in Daegu area. In this study, 1,120 subjects which were 0.6 percent of the population were selected and face-to-face interviews were conducted. The face-to-face interviews were conducted from July 1, 2004 to August 31, 2004. KMMSE was introduced to measure the status of the interviewees' dementia. The findings of this study are as follows: 8.9 percent of respondents turns out to be dementia patients. Among the dementia patients, 52.5 percent are mild dementia patients, 35.0 percent are mid-level symptoms and 12.5 percent are severe symptoms of dementia patients. Cross-tabulation analyses and logistic regression analysis were introduced to explore the demographic, living, and behavioral differentials of the elderly's dementia. According to the logistic regression analysis, it turns out that white educational attainment, participating in the leisure activities for both physical exercise and mental activities, having meals regularly, adequate amount of meals, and high economic status decrease the odds ratio of elder dementia among the elderly who are 65 and above in Daegu area and are statistically significant. On the other hand, age increases the odds ratio of the elder dementia of the elder among Koreans above 65 in Daegu area. Finally, policy implications and some suggestions for the improvement of the elder dementia are introduced and discussed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.891-905
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• 2019

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the current state of dementia-related education for dental hygiene degree programs in Korea, as well as to develop a dementia-related curriculum for dental hygiene programs suitable for the social characteristics of Korea. Methods: The study was conducted between April and November 2018. First, the current state of dementia-related education for dental hygiene programs in colleges throughout Korea and dementia-related education for other health care-related fields were investigated. Based on the initial findings, the basic content of the preliminary curriculum was constructed. Second, based on the opinion of the dementia-related curriculum development committee comprising 10 professors of dental hygiene, the operations of dementia-related courses and relevant details were constructed. Third, these operations and relevant details were assessed and revised based on focus-group interviews. Fourth, the dementia-related curriculum was developed based on the study findings and literature review. Results: The name of the course in the developed curriculum was set as "Elderly Dental Hygiene and Practicum." The course was established as a "major elective," and was offered as two units with two instructional sessions of two hours each. The learning goal for this course was acquiring the methods for understanding and managing the characteristics of the elderly. A consensus was reached regarding conducting the theoretical and practical lessons on some of the dementia-related content. The dementia-related curriculum comprised 10 "required contents" which is to be conducted over three weeks of theoretical lessons and two weeks of practical lessons. Conclusions: With the growing elderly population, the development and operation of the curriculum for geriatric oral health interventions are warranted in dental hygiene education. However, continued discussions and improvements are needed on the extent of educational content, considering various dementia-related symptoms and general geriatric systemic diseases.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.495-500
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• 2020

As the prevention of dementia is more important than the treatment after the onset, attention has focused on the prevention of dementia in the elderly. For this study based on 11 integrated programs, we analyzed the domestic research trends of dementia prevention programs for the elderly from 2000 to 2018 in the study of Yang Su-gyeong, Ko Bo-sook, and Park Jeong-hwan (2019) We reviewed the literature research on the elderly's dementia prevention program centered on play. By activity type, music, language, and physical activity were 4 (40.0%), respectively, and games, art, and work were 3 (30.0%), respectively. Dance, literature, traditional play, and recreation were 2 (20.0%), and yoga and life were 1 (10.0%), respectively. In this study, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of using the contents of early childhood education in the elderly dementia prevention program, play shows very positive aspects such as physical exercise ability, positive emotions, and emotional characteristics for the elderly. It is considered that if dementia prevention programs are developed using the contents of early childhood education for the elderly, they will be able to utilize leisure time positively while providing continuous services and maintaining group experiences and mental health.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.94-102
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the integrated cognitive rehabilitation program in elderly patients with mild dementia. Methods: A total of 20 elderly patients with mild dementia participated in the integrated cognitive rehabilitation program. The program was conducted three times per week for a total of 4 periods (10 wks per period) from February 6, 2018 to December 13, 2018. Each session lasted for 1 hour, and the cognitive function and depression of the subjects were measured before and after they participated in the program. Results: After the program, there was a significant increase and decreases in participants' cognitive function and depression respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in cognitive function score over time and period, except for the 2nd period. The difference in the degree of depression over time and period was statistically significant. Conclusion: The results suggest that an integrated cognitive rehabilitation program could help improve cognitive function and the degree of depression in elderly patients with mild dementia.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.27-34
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• 2012

The aim of study was to assess the effectiveness of dementia elderly persons on the cognitive function, Activities of Daily Living(ADL) and balance-performing ability the group therapeutic exercise programs. Fifteen community-dwelling subjects participated in this study. An 4-week group therapeutic exercise program, including strengthening and balance training, breathing and gait exercise, and recreation, consisted of activities related to daily living. The Mini-Mental State Examination-korean(MMSE-K), Modified Barthel Index(MBI), Berg Balance Scale(BBS), and Timed Up & Go (TUG) test were measured during before and after exercise points The results of this study were as follows : 1) After eight weeks, the MMSE-K and MBI total scores were significantly increased to more after than before(p<.05, p<.01). 2) in the MBI contents, personal hygiene, dressing, ambulation and chair, bed transfers scores were significant increased to after. 3) after BBS, TUG scores were statistically significant higher than the before scores(p<.05, p<.05, p<.01). These findings suggest that group therapeutic exercise program can be used to improve the cognitive function, ADL and balance-performing ability in dementia elderly persons.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.561-567
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• 2015

For a long time, therapeutic dolls have been provided to elderly patients with dementia as a non-drug therapy in several western countries. These dolls are made to resemble newborn babies. Touching the dolls and singing lullabies remind the elderly of taking care of their babies. These actions are effective in decreasing anxiety and reducing aggression, particularly, in the elderly with dementia. These dolls also help them to adapt to new places such as nursing facilities. This work proposes the installation of advanced systems in therapeutic dolls to aid the medical treatment of dementia patients by stabilizing their physical and mental health.