• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.175-199
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• 2007

The study analyzes the characteristics, work stress, satisfaction and attitudes toward dementia of social care work force for dependent elders in Korea. Data were from 502 staffs including social workers, nurses, and direct care workers from 45 diverse type of nursing facilities in Busan and Daegu area. The results of the analysis indicate that they are low paid and overloaded in general. The respondents espoused highly hopeful and person-centered attitudes toward dementia and the elderly, while they showed low level of satisfaction related to work. The stress levels were higher in sub scales concerning care tasks and physical environments in work places. In addition, the results of multiple regression denote that those have higher level of satisfaction who are nurses, have no intension to quit, have more experiences of work education, and working in facilities with more frail elders. Stresses were closely related to higher level of education and the intension to quit. Person centered attitude was more often reported by those who have more elderly clients to take care of and are working in facilities with more elders who are demented and over 80. In particular, the association was consistent between higher level of job satisfaction and the person centered attitude. Several practical suggestions linked to the analysis were made including improving the welfare for staffs working in nursing facilities and providing continuous professional training and education for them particularly on person-centered care. In addition, it was emphasized to raise the morale of social care work force considering the rapidly increasing need of long term care and the important influence that care work force has on older persons' quality of life from now on.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.893-907
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• 2017

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting frailty by urinary incontinence groups among the vulnerable elderly woman in Korea. In this secondary analysis, data were collected from records for 3,251 elders registered in the Visiting Health Management program of Public Health Centers in 2012. body mass index, waist circumference, timed up & go, depression, self rated helath, walking exercise, flexibility exercise, strengh exercise and frailty were assessed. Data were analyzed using $x^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and stepwise regression to determine the associated factors of frailty by urinary incontinence. Depression, walking exercise, timed up & go and age were found to be factors significantly associated with frailty among the elders with incontinence(F=38.321, p<.001). Age, depression, walking exercise, self rated health and tined up & go were found to be factors associated with frailty in the elders without incontinence(F=265.666 p<.001). The findings show that frailty of elders and associated factors were different by urinary incontinence, and common factors affecting frailty were depression, walking exercise, timed up & go, age. Thus, these factors should be considered in the development of intervention program for care and prevention of frailty and program should be modified according to urinary incontinence.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.119-127
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• 2011

The aging population has been increasing in Korea so that it is difficult for people to understand the change of the future society. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of preliminary retiree's alternative housing preference by providing an accurate information about residential current issues and the seriousness brought by the aging society. It explained the visual information about the aspect of the residential change due to the aging society to 104 preliminary retirees who live in the apartment in Seoul. It surveyed the characteristics of the alternative housing preference following 4 situations of the Old age type(couple/healthy, couple/ill, single/healthy, single/ill). It analyzed the difference of housing preference before and after providing information. The results are as follows: First, a previous apartment is not enough to prepare the aging society and UIBS(unit insertion building system) for the elderly was expected to be a great help to the frail after 2026. Second, the preference of UIBS was increased after providing information of the aging society. Third, in the case of the illness, a big city with medical facilities was preferred not to move in the suburb. Fourth, after providing information, a small size of apartment was preferred but the preferred change of housing ownership was not founded. Last, there was considerable difference before and after providing information under 4 situation of Old age type. These results showed the feasibility of coping with more accurate future society only if a survey should be taken with providing sufficient information about the aging society.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.843-852
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• 2012

Purpose: In this study a recreational combination gymnastics program was provided for women 75 years of age or older and the effects on physical fitness (grip strength, static balance, ability to do complex movement), depression, cognitive function and quality of life were examined. Methods: A quasi-experimental study employing a nonequivalent control group, pre-post design was conducted. Participants included 53 women elders whose cognitive function was within the normal range. The women were assigned to an experimental group (27) or a control group (26). The intervention was conducted twice a week for a period of 12 weeks. Chi-square test, t-test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for data analysis. Results: Following completion of the program, left grip strength (t=2.17, p=.035), right grip strength (t=2.04, p=.046), static balance (t=-2.18, p=.030), depression (z=-2.88, p=.004), cognitive function (t=3.96, p<.001), and quality of life (t=-3.19, p=.002) were significantly better in the experimental group. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that recreational combination gymnastics programs are effective in enhancing physical fitness, cognitive function, and quality of life and in decreasing depression for female elders and could therefore be regarded as positive programs for promotion of physical and mental health for older women.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.194-199
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• 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the number of remaining natural teeth (NRT) and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in older adults. Methods: This study was based on data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys. The participants were 2,378 older participants (984 men and 1,394 women) aged over 65 years. Survey dentists conducted oral health examinations, and ASM was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The participants with $NRT{\geq}20$ had more ASM and SMI than those with NRT<20 in both sexes. SMI was correlated with NRT in men (r=0.018, p<0.001) and in women (r=-0.007, p<0.001). The positive correlation between the NRT and SMI remained significant in men even after adjusting for age, marital status, income, smoking, drinking, physical activity, protein intake, energy intake, calcium intake, body mass index, fasting blood glucose level, medications, and prostheses (${\beta}=0.011$, p=0.001). In women, the correlation disappeared after adjustment for smoking, alcohol, physical activity, protein intake, energy intake, calcium intake, marital status, income, fasting basal glucose, medication administration, and prostheses. Conclusion: This study showed a correlation between NRT and SMI in those ${\geq}65$ years of age in Korea. The relationship persisted in men, but not in women, even after adjusting for confounders.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

What is the meaning of home to older people? How much is home significant for older people? How do they express self-identity through decorating their own homes? These are the new subjects that scholars in the West are involved in lately in terms of micro-perspective (George, 1998; Kellett, Gilroy & Jason, 2005; Gilroy & Kellett, 2006). It is evident that home has more significant meaning to older people than other age groups, since the older are more likely to spend greater time within the home through lower income, lessening mobility or loss of companions (Gilroy, 2005). Also the older tend to cling to their homes and attach to possessions than the younger. Older people's possessions are the things that memories of their lives were absorbed. Therefore, possession display can role as a mean of showing their past lives and memories. Gilroy and her colleagues (2005, 2006) found that there was a certain pattern of possession display in English older people's households, and that older people would like to express self-identity through decorating their own homes with their precious possessions. Then, isn't it interesting to find out if there is any pattern of possession display or decoration items in Korean older people's households as well? Thus, the aim of this study is to describe pattern of possession display as a mean of expressing self-identity in Korean older people's households. Interview with older people was used to find out the way and reason of display possessions. Observation method including taking photos and hand-drawings was also added in order to demonstrate detail condition of display items in the house. Possessions display and furniture arrangement in the living room and bedroom were investigated to find out a certain pattern of display and meaning. Research objects were healthy older people aged over 60, who are living independently from their adult children, and who can manage housekeeping by themselves. 32 households were investigated in the area of Seoul, Kyunggi, Chungchungnam, and Kangwon provinces. The findings demonstrate that most precious possession for Korean older people is photo of themselves; especially one taken in their younger age. The reason of it is because the photo reminds them of their heydays when they were vital. Photo of the most beloved one is displayed more frequently in the bedroom than in the living room indicating consistence with English case. As symmetrical display pattern was dominant in case of English older people's households, no dominant display pattern is found in Korean case. Korean older people also cling to their homes and possessions and want to keep their dwelling space as large as what they use now. It is notable that even after they become older and frail, they want sufficient space to display possessions as a mean of self-identity expression. Attachment to possessions and decoration can give older people significant meaning of identity, and it is the reason why architects or interior designers have to meet older people's needs. It needs consideration that residents are allowed to bring their old furniture and precious possessions when they move in elderly housing unit in order to minimize environmental shock, as well as feeling at home. This subject could suggest a clue to designers or architects who have to meet residents' needs in space design of elderly housing or facilities in the future. Psychological well-being of older people can be met by making them feel at home wherever they live. They need space where they can express their own identity and personality even in case when they have to live in a limited small space like elderly housing unit or nursing home.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Objectives: Exercise with partially restricted blood flow is a low-load, low-intensity resistance training regimen which may have the potential to increase muscle strength in the obese, elderly and frail who are unable to do high-load training. Restricted blood flow exercise has also been shown to affect blood vessel function variably and can, therefore, contribute to blood vessel dysfunction. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that unilateral resistance training of the leg extensors with partially restricted blood flow increases muscle strength and decreases vascular autoregulation. Methods: The subjects were nine normotensive, overweight, young adult African-Americans with low cardiorespiratory fitness who underwent unilateral training of the quadriceps' femoris muscles with partially restricted blood flow at 30% of the 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) load for 3 weeks. The 1-RM load and post-occlusion blood flow to the lower leg (calf) were measured during reactive hyperemia. Results: The 1-RM load increased in the trained legs from $77{\pm}3$ to $84{\pm}4 kg$ (P < 0.05) in the absence of a significant effect on the 1-RM load in the contralateral untrained legs (P > 0.1). Post-occlusion blood flow decreased significantly in the trained legs from $19{\pm}2$ to $13{\pm}2mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P < 0.05) and marginally in the contralateral untrained legs from $18{\pm}2$ to $16{\pm}1mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P = 0.09). Changes in post-occlusion blood flow to the skin overlying the trained and the contralateral untrained muscles were not significant. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that restricted blood flow exercise, which results in significant gains in muscle strength, may produce decrements in endothelial dysfunction and vascular autoregulation. Future studies should determine whether pharmacopuncture plays a role in treatments for such blood vessel dysfunction.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.405-415
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of frailty with perceived neighborhood walkability and environmental pollution among community-dwelling older adults in rural areas. Methods: The participants were 808 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older in 2 rural towns. Comprehensive information, including demographics, socioeconomic status, grip strength, polypharmacy, perceived neighborhood environment (specifically, walkability and environmental pollution), and frailty, was collected from participants using face-to-face interviews conducted between June and August 2018. Perceived neighborhood walkability was measured using 20 items that were selected and revised from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, the Neighborhood Walkability Checklist from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey. The Kaigo-Yobo Checklist was used to assess participants' frailty. Results: The overall prevalence of frailty in this community-dwelling population was 35.5%. Sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, grip strength, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with frailty. In the logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with low perceived neighborhood walkability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833 to 0.932; p<0.001) and severe perceived neighborhood environmental pollution (aOR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.017 to 1.087; p=0.003) after adjusting for sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, grip strength, and polypharmacy. Conclusions: More studies are warranted to establish causal relationships between walkability and environmental pollution and frailty.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.263-272
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• 2018

This study examined the association of gait variability and physical fitness with frailty status in older women. In a cross-sectional design, 168 elderly women, aged 65 years and older (75.07±5.40 years), measured body composition, gait parameters gait variability, physical fitness variables, MMSE-DS and CES-D. Subjects were classified as robust, pre-frail, and frailty based on the Fried et al.(2001) criteria for frailty weight loss, exhaustion, low hand-grip strength, low gait speed, and physical inactivity. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of frailty status for having gait variability and physical fitness levels. Compared to the robust group (OR=1), the frailty group had significantly higher ORs of having terminal double limb stance (OR=1.48, 95% CI=0.10-2.21, p=.049), step cadence (OR=2.06, 95%CI=1.20-3.43, p=.009) variability, and significantly lower ORs of having upper-strength (OR=0.49, 95%CI=0.31-0.77, p=.002) even after adjusting for age, education, comorbidity, K-IADL, MMSE-KC and CES-D score. The finding of this study suggested that terminal double limb stance, step cadence and upper body muscular strength were independent predictors of frailty.