• Korean Journal of Gerontological Social Welfare
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• v.74 no.4
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• pp.9-36
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• 2019

The study aims to investigate the perceptions of the elderly residents about their old urban community and pursue the direction of community change based on their opinions. Photovoice method was applied in accordance with the aims of the study to emphasize direct conduct and participation, and to reflect voices of the participants. Participants of the study are 5 female elders who have lived for more than 30 years at Bansong 1 Dong area. They participated the photovoice program including taking pictures, discussions and in-depth interviews about the community lives. 6 theme categories were drawn from the 271 photographs and the data of the discussions and interviews. Images of closed schools, empty houses and markets were dominant, which symbolized the aging and hollowing community. Also, still remained neighbors, traces of the old community, decent welfare facilities showed important meanings to maintain their daily lives vigorous. Based on the results of the analysis, 5 suggestions were made concerning future changes of urban community as follows: maintaining community schools, pursuing age-integrative community development, increasing community based facilities, and promoting elderly initiative participation in policy decisions related to the community.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.57-64
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• 2019

Due to the rapid increase of the elderly population, promoted desire for recreational activities in old age and so emerging importance of Leisure welfare facilities for the elderly. Although Senior community centers playing an important role in old people leisure life are quantitative resources occupying majority of the Leisure welfare facilities for the elderly. there are many problems of managing programs, aging facilities, small spaces and so on. So, many facilities are used as simple meeting places of old people without solution about qualitative problem. Also, because of negative perceptions of people about Senior community center socially, desires of using Senior community center of old generation will decrease. In order to perfectly play a role of Leisure welfare facilities for the elderly, we need to review regulations about facility and program of Senior community center and suggest ways to resolve these problems. According to these necessity, Integration senior community centers appeared as a new concept. These centers compensate the physical defects through integrating small Senior community center. Through dividing function and service of senior welfare and forming networks between Senior community center and Senior welfare center, these centers set a goal of increasing quantitative and qualitative improving of leisure life of old people.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2020

Background: Owing to the increase in the aging population, the health problems of the elderly have become important social problems. Social support has a positive effect on improving the quality of life and prolonging the life of elderly people. It is one of the major factors that affects the oral health status of elderly people. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between oral health status and social support in elderly people using representative data. Methods: In this study, data from a community health survey in 2015 involving 63,929 elderly people aged over 65 years were analyzed. T-test and ANOVA analyses were performed to compare the general characteristics of and perception about social support. Additionally, a linear regression analysis was performed to confirm the relationship between perceptions about social support and subjective oral health status. Results: We found that sex, age, household income, education level, the presence of a spouse, existence of an unmet dental need, and regular oral check-up had a significant effect on subjective oral health status (p<0.05). In addition, when controlled for all factors, social support has a significant impact on subjective oral health status. Conclusion: The findings indicate that social support is associated with the subjective oral health status of Korean elderly. This suggests that community-level or government investment is required to improve the oral health of the elderly. In particular, policy interventions such as the establishment of facilities that promote social networks, especially facilities based on friendship networks, are needed.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.242-253
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• 2016

Purpose: This research aims to understand the perceptions of nursing homes from the perspective of the elderly, explores the themes of such perception and provides supporting evidence for developing nursing intervention that focuses on the subjects of care within nursing homes. Methods: This research is based on qualitative research in a phenomenological methodology. The research participants included elders aged 67~83 living at home in Jeonnam, Jeonbuk Provinces and G City. Data collection methodologies included in-depth interviews and observation of participants. The data were analyzed in the phenomenological methodology by Colaizzi. Results: As a result of the research, it was found that all significant statements about the Korean elders' perception of nursing homes fell within 3 categories with 9 major themes and 23 minor themes. The three observed categories for the Korean elders' perception on nursing homes were: 'places they do not like to be in', 'places they have to be in' and 'places that makes them feel fortunate as they have a place to go'. Conclusion: This research provides foundational tools that will provide a steer for changes in nursing environment, physiological support, programs and education so that the needs of the elderly can be met more sufficiently.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.23-41
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to explore social supports for elderly housing and their residential lives in small cities along rural counties of the United States and Canada, and suggest future implications for age-concentrated rural villages in Korea. In this study, five small and medium cities in non-metropolitan counties of California and Ontario province were visited and elderly residents and service experts were interviewed about their perceptions of community integrated social support networks for senior residences. The senior housing complexes were built due to influx of both metropolitan and rural residents seeking warm localities, traffic connections, business purposes in active production areas. and leisure attractions. There are five main social support networks for senior housing issues in these areas. First, the areas are claimed for senior zones and accordingly health industries are encouraged by local authorities. Second, the community is homogeneously constructed as a senior friendly environment and include features such as an RV park and mobile cottages. Third, senior-helping seniors are offered active work through golf-cluster active retirement communities. Fourth, traditional theme production camps are mobilized by the elderly workers. Lastly, an information system is maintained for screening volunteers and for senior abuse prevention. On the other hand, residential lives are occasionally negatively influenced by unbalanced concentrations of elderly facilities such as nursing stations and funeral homes. For the future of Korean rural elderly policies, suggestions are made as follows: first, an integrated urban and rural township that contains attractive places for early retiring people who seek a warm atmosphere in later life needs to be constructed. Second, an integrated model retirement village of urban and rural retirement life needs to be initiated as a measure of evaluating the adaptation process of movers in senior concentrated zones. Third, a cooperation system among governmental ministries needs to be formed with the long- term goal of establishing a traditional rural town of independent housing districts and medical facilities in rural areas. Fourth, productive and active lifestyles need to be maintained as the local community and government develop successful retirement rural villages, by limiting the expansion of nursing related facilities. Finally, generation integrated visiting welfare programs and services need to be further developed for the housing areas especially in the winter, when social integration and activity are relatively low.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.231-248
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to implement a cognitive stimulation activity program and examine its effects elderly people who is capable of daily life and community activities but suffering from per sistent cognitive decline on the elderly's cognitive function, self-efficacy, and depression. The purpose of this study was to help elderly people who is capable of daily life and community activities but suffering from persistent cognitive decline improve their ability to perform and adapt to activity-based tasks incorporating a variety of actions of different subdomains and difficulty levels, ac cording to their characteristics and cognitive levels. The aim of the program created was to systemati cally improve the subdomains of cognitive functions and eventually preventing these conditions develo ping into dementia in those affected. This study also enabled the subjects to improve their self-effica cy through newly gained positive perceptions and attitudes toward their own abilities by successfully expressing their experience or thoughts about circumstantially and relationally meaningful events and memories, and performing activities that promote sensory stimulations. The group activities conducted as part of the study helped the subjects reduce their symptoms of depression not only by expressing their thoughts and emotions, but also by encouraging empathy with, understanding of, and caring for others. Given that this study confirmed the potential of the cognitive stimulation program designed fo r it as a clinical intervention for elderly people with cognitive impairment, it is suggested as a useful preventive program for early stage dementia.