• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.213-233
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• 2012

This descriptive study about a community center for elderly users identifies factors influencing economic dependency. The objective of this study is to find factors that contribute to increased economic dependency and to provide basic data for preventing conflict between caregivers and elderly dependents. The subjects are 204 elderly persons who are community-center users in SongPa-Gu. Thirteen dongs (administrative areas) were chosen randomly in a cluster sample from among 26 dongs in Soungpagu containing a total of 158 community centers for the elderly. I obtained informed consents for my research from all subjects, and collected data by conducting interviews from June 28th, 2011 to August 7th, 2011. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Duncan test and multi regression analysis. The mean economic dependency score was 3.23, meaning that subjects with this score are dependent at a level that is "over intermediate". The level of formal education, homeownership, financial assistance from family and the number of families, financial assistance to the family and the number of families, economic life satisfaction, self efficacy and social support.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2019

This study is a basic study for the planning of rural community center space, which introduced the concept of healthcare. As the rural community center is a place where the elderly in rural areas live mainly during the day, this place is very important place for the healthy life of the rural elderly. We conducted an interview survey for 207 users over 65. The survey was organized with three regions to consider the regional characteristics of the community center users and geographical characteristics. As a result of the analysis of planning elements, the main preferences for indoor and outdoor space elements are planning elements such as safety, air quality, light, and the thermal environment and safety handle, night lights, safety walkway. These preferences should be considered for the more healthy friendly rural community center.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.117-130
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine elderly users' satisfaction with welfare services and the environments of the senior citizen centers in mid-sized and small cities in Korea. Three hundred and two elderly users were surveyed for this study. Age and gender differences in the level of satisfaction were found. The male elderly users and older users were more satisfied with the education programs than the female and younger users. The elderly people who reside in single-family residences were more satisfied with the educational programs and part-time job opportunities offered at the center than the elderly users who were living in apartment buildings. This could be explained by the fact that dwellers of single housing had more freedom and more room for self-regulation in scheduling their program participation, whereas the apartment building residents had rarely experienced social exchanges with their neighbors. There were significant differences in satisfaction with the environments of the centers by gender, marital status, age, level of education, religion, and housing type. The group differences were explained by the abundance of community activities that are centered around younger and female participants. Based on these findings, it is suggested that more specialized educational and social programs should be developed for the younger users in their early 60s, that co-ed religious activities and hobby programs should be expanded, and that the home-visiting welfare staff should regularly provide the elderly users the information on programs and activities.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2012

The rate of the rural population over the age of 65 was increased from 14.7% in 2000 to 20.6% in 2010. The rate of elderly living alone in rural areas was increased from 9.2% to 13.3% for 10 years. Two million households over 40% of the elderly living alone nationwide are concentrated in rural areas. This paper investigates cases used as living space by interview and remodeling senior centers (village community center) for the elders living alone in rural areas. In Gimje two the nation's first senior centers were remodeled in 2006 (for both the village community center) and were begun to use these as group homes. Evaluation was a success. Since then, these were increased by approximately 20 centers per year by year and are currently 108 centers at the end of 2011. In Chungcheongnam-do, a pilot project has been begun for communal living by remodeling the senior center (for both the village community center) and elderly housing. Municipalities are similar in their business (is mostly). However, the interview results for each municipality are different. The success of the project depends on rules proposed by local governments and the development of programs with users to continuous financially support.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.412-421
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• 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 Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

Day care center for the elderly is an alternative for community care for frail elderly who need social participation and physical cares and services outside the family. The purpose of this study was to identify the present situation of day care center for the elderly and to suggest desirable interior space plans for elderly day care center. Data were collected by two ways; a mail survey and case studies of existing day care centers. Five cases of day care centers were analyzed to find out Physical and space problems, available programs and services. Also, the staffs in 96 day care centers for the elderly in nationwide were selected for a mail survey and 68.8 percentage of all was collected and analyzed. From the result of case studies, narrow space and lack of accessibility features for wheelchair or other prosthetic devices were the major problems. From the result of a mail survey analysis, the elderly users were over 73 years old, and high proportion had suffered from dementia and apoplexy Also, staffing ration was 1:7 In other words, one staff was caring of 7 old people, and supporting staff was insufficient. Therefore, supportive, therapeutic environment Was more important issue to improve quality of care. Separate program room and outdoor space, lounging space, treatment room by gardening, separate counselling room, bedroom, a simple kitchen unit, staff office, separate physical treatment room, resting room for staff was indicated more necessarily. When priority of planning interior space was safety followed by accessability and convenience, it was also reported that sire of each room was generally narrow. The most serious problem in interior space was the lack and narrowness of space, and accessible features for mobility. Based on the literature review and the findings of this study, two types of floor plans for elderly day care center were suggested;‘a mixed type for the elderly with and without dementia’and‘a separate type for the elderly with dementia.’The main goals for designing interior space for two types of elderly day care center were to provide safe environment, encouraging environment for remaining abilities of users, sanitary environment, therapeutic environment, familiar environment, and socially-encouraging environment. The recommendations for further studies were suggested.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2007

According to the 2005 Korean census, the 65 and over population now exceeds 9.5% of the total population and is growing rapidly. Meeting elderly environment and care needs of this rapidly growing segment of the population becomes a major challenge for public policies and planners. Since great deal amount of elderly will reside in their houses, aging in place concept becomes important. For the success of aging in place, the quality of individual house unit, community support systems, and quality of senior center of the community are crucial. Since elderly environments and facilities serve not only medical and/or care programs but also social activity program in aging society, senior centers need to promote social activities and other care programs. The purpose of this study is to analyze characteristics of environmental affordance of a well received senior center in Tokyo, Japan. In order to analyze the characteristics, Murtha & Lee user benefit criteria and Lawton's environmental affordance approaches were used. As results, design characteristics and interior elements which provide environmental affordance were enumerated by type of space. Based on needs and user benefit criteria, those features were analyzed. This study shows design characteristics, elements, and attributes which are well received and utilized by elderly users.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.649-671
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to identify the meaning of performance experienced in the process of practicing at the elderly suicide prevention center. Therefore, the actual results perceived from the subjective viewpoints of the chiefs, staff and service users from the public institutions, which offer the elderly suicide prevention services were examined. The results classified the service provider's view, service users view and multi-dimensional view. The research method is a case study of qualitative research method. The results of the study found that the analysis commonly perceived from the perspectives of both the chiefs and staff from the public institutions offering elderly suicide prevention service were 'the perception of structural obstacles during the process of practicing the services and focused on the achievement of experiencing changes in the service users and the community'. On the other hand, the analysis from the perspective of the service users turned out to be 'focusing on changes in the users'internal perception according to service experiences'. The meaning and essence of the analytical results perceived from each perspective are summarized as follows. First, the analytical results perceived of the chiefs of public institutions offering elderly suicide prevention service were 'the process in which the identification of the institution is rediscovered through the service'. Second, the analytical results perceived by the staff from the institution were 'being acknowledged in the community and organization while experiencing changes in the service users in the process of struggling to survive in such community and organization'. Third, the analytical results perceived by the service users were 'holding on to the lifeline at the edge of a precipice'. Based on the results, political and practical implications of elderly suicide prevention service were discussed.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.57-69
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the social welfare service delivery system of Namyangju City on the satisfaction degree of the elderly with welfare services and on their quality of life. This study conducted a survey of the elderly aged 65 and over who were either service users or nonusers of the public-private partnership welfare service delivery system called Hope Care Center. A total of 324 copies including 205 copies of Hope Care Center users and 119 copies of nonusers were analyzed. The analysis shows that the four key elements of welfare service delivery system are statistically significant to the service users of Hope Care Center than the nonusers with the users' higher level of satisfaction with the services. However, in terms of quality of life, there was no meaningful distinction between the two groups. This indicates that services of Hope Care Center increased the satisfaction with welfare services, thereby improving users' quality of life to the level of nonusers. Further studies for the same subjects are expected to be deeper if they compare and analyze the before and after of using Hope Care Center with more comprehensive independent variables.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.9-16
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• 2016

This study aimed to clarify the multifunctional services and space composition in the process of developing a multifunctional long-term care program in small elderly care facilities in Japan. We collected data about multifunctional long-term care at small facilities from the Community Life Support Center (CLC), a Japanese non-profit corporation, and conducted an interview survey of the members of the CLC's secretariat in 2014. Furthermore, we selected 3 Japanese pioneering care facilities (known as takurosho), and conducted interview surveys and data collection to clarify in detail the space composition and process of development of multifunctional long-term care at small facilities. Four distinct results were found. First, the facilities had gradually increased non-institutional services, including visitation, overnight stays, and long-term stays, to fit the needs of users and their families. Secondly, in the 1990s, they could offer both non-institutional and institutional services at the same facility, but after the long-term care insurance system began in 2000, non-institutional long-term stay services were not allowed. Third, the facilities had built extensions or extra rooms in response to increases in multifunctional services and users. These rooms had common characteristics, with sitting rooms at the center of the facility. Lastly, the maximum number of service users at each of the 3 facilities was limited to 15, to maintain a small scale. However, as the size of facilities was increased through building extensions or remodeling, the overall amount of area available to users increased.