• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2015

In recent years, the population composition of rural area is changing due to the decreasing population growth of the aged with disability and people returning to farming. Since 1970's the rural community facilities have been spreaded out across most rural villages. Although the rural community facilities are the most widely used facilities, the existing facilities are need to be new built or remodeled according to demographic changes, usage of facilities, and environmental condition. Given this reality, the rural community facilities such as village assembly hall and nursing home for senior citizen are not only used for daily life place but also used like co-residence having meals and sleeping together. Therefore the rural community facilities have the potential to become welfare service space for rural elderly people. This research focuses on the current situation of universal design applied community facilities. According to the research, most of the village community facilities were built in the 1990s and 82% of the buildings were more than 15 years old. Furthermore, 45% of the village community facilities more than 15 years old most have a ground floor in masonry structure. The area of the building is 65% less than $100m^2$. The width of the access entrance, the height of the sink, gas safety valve and so forth were relatively well designed. However, the handrail of the entrance, space in front of the toilet bowl, the height difference between the entrance and floor, the installation of the width of the ramp and stair handrail was relatively incomplete. Village community facilities to be built in the future should be universal design fundamentally.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.309-317
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• 2015

In this paper, we proposed the standard test specification for safety and function of hiking stick for the elderly. We have concluded nine factors representing specification of hiking stick through analysis of hiking patents and research papers, products survey of business market, case studies for damaged hiking stick and expert surveys. To test the factors, we designed three different kinds of apparatus to examine twist resistance, stick and tip durability and stick straightness. The sample of hiking sticks purchased from market based on Naver sales ranking top to fifteenth. As a result, we concluded six-standard test specification based on eccentric load, adjustable parts load, hand strap load, basket load, tip load and pull load of hiking stick.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.349-354
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• 2017

In this study, we proposed a design guideline of height-adjustable wash basin which is an assistive product for personal hygiene for persons with disability. We performed biomechanical assessments using both of conventional and prototype height adjustable wash basin. Total five elderly subjects (all male, age $68.6{\pm}4.3yrs.$, height $169.8{\pm}5.7cm$, weight $70{\pm}7.7kg$) participated for the assessment test. Each joint angles were measured by using a 3D motion capture system when subjects use wash basins, and the lumbar moment of each subjects was estimated based on a human body model. From the assessment results, a design guideline which has the range of the height from 652[mm] to 1162[mm] was proposed. Then additional assessment tests with five healthy subjects ($25.8{\pm}1.8yrs.$, $175.5{\pm}5.8cm$, $74{\pm}15.7kg$) were performed in order to verify effectiveness of the design guideline. The results showed a height-adjustable wash basin applied the proposed design guideline was effective to reduce the lumbar moment.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.592-606
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• 2015

Depression and mental illness across all age groups, and steady increasing in suicide rate are our major social problems which cause dramatically decreasing government competitiveness. While Korean government has implemented various policies to improve mental health and prevent suicide, it faces revealing issues in progress on implementation and referral management systems. The current research examined domestic and foreign cases to understand the actual status and directivity of ICT convergence plan in terms of mental health. The United States and the United Kingdom have provided convergent ICT service, telepsychiatric care to senior citizens in rural areas, children and adolescents, socially disadvantaged class, etc. In Korea, emergency-notice devices are installed to prevent suicide for single elderly people, and diverse mobile health devices are developing to cure depression and Alzheimer's disease. ICT convergent mental health care service is needed to save socioeconomic costs and realize universal welfare for an aging society. Social consensus on sharply conflict issues, medical law and medical devices about telepsychiatry service, effectiveness studies on users' unique psychiatric characteristics by life cycle, and region-specialized strategies for the least densely populated rural regions with lower access to medical care should be considered.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.197-207
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status and characteristics of visiting nurses' management for elders with cognitive impairment living in a community focused on health centers in a metropolitan city and five medium-sized cities. Methods: Data were collected from 47 visiting nurses working in a metropolitan city and 47 visiting nurses working in five medium-sized cities from November to December 2012. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in knowledge, attitudes, and nursing behaviors of cognitive impairment between two groups (F=2.13, p=.148; F=3.64, p=.060; F=0.28, p=.595). Among the elders referred to a physician in a metropolitan city by visiting nurses, 42.4% were diagnosed as mild cognitive impairment and 15.2% were diagnosed as severe dementia. The major intervention programs which visiting nurses currently applied for elders were medication and exercise intervention programs, and the intervention programs which they would want to apply in the future were playing, music and recall intervention programs. Conclusion: The cognitive impairment screening test can be done effectively by visiting nurses. This study also suggests to develop various kinds of intervention programs to improve cognitive function for elders living in a community.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.3904-3914
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• 2011

This study was designed to inquire into the effect of care worker's empowerment on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. For this, a survey was carried out on 200 care workers in elderly care facilities located in Chungcheong area from May 16 to May 30, 2011. Analysis showed that their empowerment has a significant impact on the improvement of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and the reduction of turnover intention. This means that their high empowerment has a high inclination for job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and a low inclination for turnover intention according to the positive job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Consequently, considering their low empowerment, the job productivity and specialty may be eventually raised by improving their empowerment that brings out their own special abilities and merits with individual personality and aptitude, and showing more concerns and consideration for the job.

• 재활복지
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-31
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• 2017

This study identities various types of subjective perception of hearing-impaired persons on sign language interpretation using Q-methodology in an attempt to explore ways for developing more useful sign language interpretation services for them. For this purpose, 35 statements are extracted based on literatures and in-depth interviews and Q-classification is conducted for 20 interviewees. The results identify a common perception on the provision of sign language interpreter to frequently used institutions of hearing-impaired persons. They also derive three distinguished types of perception: seeking specialization of sign language interpretation, seeking traditional sign language interpretation services and seeking expansion and improvement of sign language interpretation services. Based on the results, the study suggests residence of sign language interpreters in public facilities, improvements of qualification system and education and training courses, specialization by field and improvement of the practice of sign language interpretation services, provision of customized services to the elderly and use of sign language interpreters reflecting the needs of the users.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.341-354
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• 2019

Urban agriculture, which promotes communication in vulnerable classes and the formation of social networks has been gaining attention with an emphasis on healthy city, elderly-friendly city, safe city and happy city as future keywords about urban life. There is a growing interest in public awareness in many areas such as health, society, economy, and ecology. As an attempt to improve the diversity of urban gardens, this study begins with collecting suitable crops for urban gardens from "Imwongyeongjeji (林園經濟志)," an encyclopedia written by Yoo-Ku Seo, a scholar in the 18-19th century. Out of those recorded in "Gwanhyuji (灌畦志)," 128 kinds of crops with linkage of the historical achievements of the realists who gave their priority to public welfare were selected and 53 crops which had traditionality, historicality, health functionality and popularity were finally selected. The properties (cold, warm, clam) of the selected crops were evenly distributed, and there was no crop that was hot and cool. In addition, the number of crops that have a sweet taste was the highest, followed by spicy and bitter, but there was no salty vegetable, which can be attributed to the fact that 12 namuls (wild vegetables) that grow in seas were excluded in this study since they were not suitable for urban gardens. Urban gardens can be transformed from those that focus on primary production and secondary consumption activities into a new resource that offers educational and traditional values by applying humanities to urban agriculture as a content resource in the era of cultural consilience and convergence. It is expected to satisfy urban residents' intellectual and participatory needs and to enhance the diversity and utility of urban gardens by applying traditional knowledge to a new model of urban agriculture. We hope that further research will be conducted to develop new types and models of urban agriculture going forward.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-89
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• 2012

Objective : In order to investigate and improve public Korean medical health service satisfaction level, this study was designed. Method : A questionnaire has been conducted on 212 patients who received treatments at six public health centers in the northern part of Gyeongbuk during 15 days between Sep. 24 and Oct. 8, 2011. Result : 1. An Investigation on the usage of herbal clinics in public health centers reveals that 63.7% have received three times or more medical treatments previously and 61.8% have had their illness treated at other medical institutions. In regard to illness 32.1% have had arthritis or muscle aches. 50.9% have taken insurance medication after having had treatments at the public health centers. 66% have assessed acupuncture and moxa cautery the most satisfying. 2. To a question regarding whether herbal health treatment costs higher than that of physician's, the highest response at 31.6% is 'No'. And to a question regarding whether herbal medicines administered at public health centers have more side effects than that of physician's, the highest response at 39.6% is 'No'. 3. To a question regarding whether herbal treatment of public health centers has little effect against acute disease, 48.1% of responses are 'Fair'. To a question regarding whether herbal treatments, when compared with physician's treatments, boost better recovery of patients, 48.1% of responses are 'Fair'. To a question regarding whether herbal medicine is unscientific, when compared with that of western medicine, 38.2% of responses are 'Fair', To a question regarding whether herbal medicine has faster effect on disease than western medicine, 41.0% of responses are 'Fair'. To a question regarding whether herbal medicine is more effective on disease prevention and promotion of health than disease treatment, 38.2% of responses are 'Fair'. And to a question regarding whether the lack of various types of physical therapy devices in herbal medicine, when compared with western medicine causes inconvenience in herbal treatment, 42.0% of responses are 'Fair'. Those responses take up highest portion at each questionnaire. 4. A comparative study between herbal treatments and physician's treatments has also been conducted. To questions regarding which one of the two considering types of disease is the better, responses are the latter accounted for 43.9% against 'Cancer', the latter accounted for 45.3% against 'Endocrine disorders', the former accounted for 30.7% against 'Psychiatric disorders', the latter accounted for 38.2% gainst 'Otolaryngological(ENT) disease', the former accounted for 47.6% against 'Post traumatic stress disorder', and the former accounted for 52.4% against 'Muscle-skeletal disease'. 5. An investigation on frequency of patients' visits via (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. 6. First, an investigation on frequency of reasons of medical treatments reveal that age, occupation, monthly income, and insurance type (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. Secondly, an investigation on frequency of subjects taking insurance medicines after herbal health treatments reveal that monthly income (p<0.05) of subject shows a statistically significant difference. 7. First, an investigation on frequency of a claim that herbal treatments of public health center does not have great effect on acute disease reveals that age, education, and insurance type (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. Secondly, an investigation on frequency of analysis that herbal treatments has faster effect on disease compared with western treatments reveals that education level, religion, monthly income, and insurance type (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. 8. When herbal clinics of public health centers and general herbal medicine institutions are compared, a survey on additional treatments that herbal clinics need the most reveals that education level, monthly income, and insurance type (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. Secondly, an investigation on frequency of subjects who want various forms of herbal medicines reveals that occupation and insurance type (p<0.05) of subjects show a statistically significant difference. Conclusion : In order to improve efficiency of treatments and enhance patient's satisfaction level, this study suggests measures such as providing a differentiated acupuncture treatments as a whole, streamlining an reception procedure, adopting more elaborated computer system for a patient to get proper medical attention, standardizing a treatment duration in order for a maximum result, keeping regular office hours, and optimizing a consultation time for a patient.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.61-85
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• 2014

Lately, as the problem of the aged poverty becomes a big social issue, this paper studies the problem of financial stability with respect to the income and consumption of before-and-after retirement generations. After dividing the data in Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA) into retired and non-retired groups, this study compares the difference among ageing groups by cross analysis and t-test. First, the result tells that the total personal income of retired group is lower than the one of non-retired group. Second, the public pension income benefit ratio of retired group is only 30% of it's total income, and the amount of public pension appears to be 40% of the total pension income. The benefit ratio of the personal pension income is low as about 1% in both groups, The private transfer income of the retired group takes relatively large portion in its total personal income. Third, as people gets older, financial stability gets worse because consumption does not decrease as much as the income decreases. Fourth, it is turned out that the expectation of old life supporting from nation is low in both groups. Fifth, the factors that affects the income of the public pension in the retired group are gender, age, education, and health status, when compared with the factors to the personal total income of the non-retired group. In terms of policy, this paper emphasizes the needs of the intensification of the public pension and the support for the revitalization of the personal pension.