• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 2021

PURPOSE: Chronic low back pain is one of the main factors that affect the quality of life and cause problems of gait and balance in elderly people. This study investigated the correlation between the Oswestry disability index (ODI), Berg balance scale (BBS), and kinematic data measured while analyzing the gait of elderly people with chronic back pain. METHODS: A total of 29 subjects participated in this study. The ODI, BBS, and kinematic data of lower extremities were measured while walking. All data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and the significance was measured at .05. RESULTS: ODI had a significant correlation with 1, 13, and 14 items of BBS (p < .05), and left hip external rotation and right ankle abduction respectively in the stance and swing phase of gait (p < .01). 13 items of BBS had a significant correlation with the right ankle abduction in the stance phase of gait (p < .01). In addition, 14 items of BBS had a significant correlation with right and left ankle abduction in the stance and swing phase of gait (p < .01). CONCLUSION: While attempting to predict chronic low back pain and balance issues, it may be useful to check the right ankle abduction in the stance and swing phase of gait. In the future, it would be helpful if some simple tests could be designed to assess balance in elderly people with chronic low back pain.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.232-247
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• 2021

This study attempted to examine the nutrition knowledge of caregivers for the elderly and the diet-related medical treatment and dietary assistance given by them. Thus, this research is a descriptive study focusing on the current nutritional knowledge of caregivers and the dietary assistance given by them. The survey included a questionnaire (nutritional knowledge level of digestive system diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, brain disease, bone disease, and meal assistance performance status) for caregivers working in nursing homes for the elderly. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 235 caregivers between February and March 2020. The results were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0, and the significance test of each question was verified by the Friedman test and the Chi-square independence test. The number of elderly people who needed meal assistance from caregivers was 4.4 more than the average. The most common types of meal assistance were partial assistance (59.20%) and the task of when to stop eating for the elderly (58.71%). Besides, the higher nutritional knowledge level of the caregivers, the more the time spent on services related to meal assistance (P<0.001), and the higher the meal assistance level. The disease state of the elderly was considered the most relevant (P<0.001). Caregivers with high levels of knowledge and offering significant meal assistance were found to have received nutrition education (P<0.001). Up to 80% of the respondents needed nutrition education, and most of them answered that they needed education on appropriate management methods for the specific disease state of the elderly (P<0.01). Accordingly, providing nutrition education for caregivers for the elderly should be a means to improve their ability to offer meal assistance.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2017

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to improve the quality of life of people aged 65 and over by reducing musculoskeletal pain and increasing balance and muscular strength in their lower-extremities through aerobic exercises and the use of Thera-Bands and gym balls. Method : Fifteen out of 30 women who used a welfare center for the elderly in C City performed exercises using Thera-Bands and gym balls, and the remaining 15 elderly women did aerobic exercises. Both groups performed their respective exercises three times a week over a four-week period, for 50 minutes each time. Pain (VAS), balance (TUG), and lower extremity muscular strength were measured as evaluation tools. The data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS 18.0 for Windows. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to compare the differences within each group, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups in terms of their differences both before and after the participants' respective exercise programs. Results : No differences were found between the two groups, although there were some differences within each group in terms of levels of pain, muscular strength, and balance. Conclusion : The aerobic and muscle strength exercise programs had positive effects on all variables, including pain, balance, and muscular strength in the lower extremities. Therefore, the combination of aerobic and muscle strength exercises may be effective in improving the quality of life of elderly people.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2011

Purpose: This study has been performed to identify the correlation between depression and physical fitness of the elderly women living in a rural area. Methods: The target people were chosen and visited on February, 2011. We could meet them at a community health center in Jeonnam. The questionnaire answered by 321 was conducted to figure out the degree of depression. Also, physical fitness using senior fitness test was measured. This study was analyzed using $x^2$ test, Fisher exact test, t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient by SAS program. Results: It was analyzed that distribution of depression was 31.9%, and depression was correlated with upper flexibility (p<.001). There was no significant relation to physical fitness by depression except weight (p=.039) and back scratch (p=.007) as well. Conclusion: These results can not only contribute to understanding of the depression of the elderly women, but also suggest that depression prevention program is necessary for them.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.209-219
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the gender differences in the cognitive function and nutritional status among elderly people living in the community. Methods: This study used data from the 2014 National Survey on the Elderly and focused on 10,054 respondents who answered that they did not have dementia. The Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening and the Nutrition Screening Initiative were used. IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 was used to conduct statistical analyses. Results: The cognitive function score was 25.30 for men, which was higher than for women. The percentage of subjects who showed cognitive decline was 25.5% for males and 50.2% for females, which was statistically significant (p<.001). There were statistically significant differences in the nutritional status between males and females (p<.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the cognitive function and nutritional status in both men and women (p<.001, p<.001). Conclusion: These results showed that the intervention to maintain cognitive functioning should be provided to elderly women with a low education level or high number of chronic diseases and medication, and an intervention to prevent the cognitive decline of the elderly should include nutritional management for health and function maintenance.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.248-260
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• 2023

This study provides basic data when planning nutrition support for healthy aging by revealing the relationship between various symptoms in the elderly and nutrient intake. From the 8th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, data from senior citizens aged 65 years or older in 2021 were used, and answers on the depression prevalence, activity restrictions, complaints of discomfort when chewing, and nutrient intake were analyzed through SPSS multiple logistic regression analysis. In the case of depression, there was a significant effect on the intake of four of the 20 nutrients (water, protein, cholesterol, and vitamin E). When experiencing activity restrictions, the intake of eight of the 20 nutrients (phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D, beta-carotene, retinol, thiamine, and niacin) was affected. When experiencing chewing discomfort, the intake of three of the 20 nutrients (fat, magnesium, and vitamin E) was affected. Elderly people who suffer from depression, activity restrictions, and discomfort with chewing are at risk of various nutrient deficiencies, and related studies need to be conducted.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.191-205
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• 2008

The study aims at exploring a general trend of psychological well-being (PWB) of elderly volunteers and analyzing the variables which give effects on their PWB. The subjects were two hundred men and women over 60 years old currently participating in voluntary service. The data collected from interviewing were analyzed by descriptive statistics, $x^2$ test, Pearson's correlation and hierarchical multiple regression. The main results are: First, PWB of the elderly is higher than the average score of PWB. Second, the elderly's generativity is positively related to PWB. Family support such as an emotional and instrumental support was also positively related to PWB. Third, the variables effecting on PWB of elderly volunteers were education level, participation frequency, generativity level, and an instrumental support of their family members on it. The lower their educational level was, the more frequently they participated in voluntary activity, the higher their generativity level was, and the more support given from their family, the higher PWB scores they showed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.311-321
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was conducted an in-depth analysis of the subjective oral status and oral care needs according and problems of the elderly. Methods: A phenomenological research method was from April 13 to 30, 2023, 15 elderly people aged 65 or older in Gwangju and Jeolla regions were surveyed. Results: He was experiencing oral changes such as difficulty chewing, dry mouth and indigestion, sensitive teeth, smell of fear and feeling sensitive when eating sweet or cold food. They were burdened by the financial difficulties of dental treatment costs, the inconvenience caused by frequent visits, and the pain experienced during treatment. Realized the need for necessity of oral care education, and their confidence was restored through dental treatment. It was necessary the image recovery of dentistry, and they wanted to maintain oral health through the expansion of treatment health insurance. Conclusions: Consequently, it is necessary to develop a practical oral health management program for the elderly based on social communication regarding of the elderly and to expand health insurance coverage.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.714-717
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• 2014

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a group exercise program on cognitive function of elderly people. Subjects were chosen to be elders with dementia having minor to moderate degrees of cognitive function. Study was started out by randomly dividing the 16 subjects into two groups, each with 8 people; the group exercise group and the control group. The group exercise group performed 8 weeks of group exercise program and general physiotherapy while the control group only performed general physiotherapy. Cognitive function was measured by Korean version mini-mental state examination. The study group's attention and calculation statistically significantly improved but the control group saw no statistically significant change. The group exercise program affected improvement in cognitive function of elderly people with dementia and in particular, was effective for enhancing their attention and calculation.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.16-22
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• 2006

Falling is a serious problem associated with aging. Unintentional injury, which most often results from falling, is one of the leading causes of death in elderly people. The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors of falls and to compare characteristics of people who fall with that of non-fallers among the rural community-dwelling elderly of Korea. A sample of 201 people, living in the community, aged 60 years and over was taken from the members of a center for seniors located in Jecheon city. The mean age of the participants was 70.5 years of age. The participants are comprised of 151 women and 50 men. Eighty four of the 201 participants (41.8%) fell during the previous year. Twenty two of the fallers (26.2%) fell down more than two times. It was found that fallers had poorer eyesight, multiple chronic diseases and a more difficult time walking than non-fallers. In the logistic regression analysis of falls, only the difficulty of walking one kilometer (OR=2.4) and chronic diseases (OR=2.5) have shown an increased risk of falls. The risk of recurrent falls is, in addition, influenced by the difficulty of walking one kilometer. The result of our study shows that the impairment of mobility was the strongest risk factor of recurrent falling.