• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.51
• /
• pp.141-156
• /
• 2002

The relation among social support, depressive symptoms, and living arrangements were examined in a non-random sample of 175 adults age 60 and older. A convenience sample was obtained through a personal interview. A structural equation modeling approach was used to explore the role of social support in the relation between the living arrangements of elderly Koreans and their level of depressive symptoms. These results are consistent with previous analyses suggesting that social support plays a significant role in moderating depressive symptoms, in relation to negative living arrangements among older Korean populations (the buffering-effect hypothesis).

• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.58-81
• /
• 1987

The purpose of this study is to examine major factors that affect patterns of living arrangements of older Korean noncitizens in the United States using the 1990 8% Public Use Microdata Sample(PUMS). In order to do so, I analyzed the effects of four factors including acculturation(English proficiency and Age at migration), economic circumstances(Personal Income and Supplemental Security Income: SSI receipt), health status(Mobility and Personal care limitation), and the ethnic community. The results show that acculturation and economic circumstances play an important role in determining the patterns of living arrangements among older Korean aliens, whereas the health status and the ethnic community do not show consistent effects. Regardless of marital status, the impact of age at migration is positively associated with solitary living of older Korean noncitizens, though, the effect of English proficiency show the opposite direction in accordance with marital status. That is, among nonmarried elders, those who cannot speak English are more likely to live alone. The case is reverse for married elders. The impact of economic feasibility is also positively associated with independent living arrangements. Those who receive SSI are much more likely to live apart from family, and elders whose annual personal income between $5,001 and $10,000 have the greatest propensity of solitary living-a large proportion of their income source is SSI. Individuals who receive SSI are also qualified to collect Medicaid, food stamps, rent subsidies, and other welfare benefits. In a sense, the economic feasibility provided by welfare benefits is the key determinant of independent living of older Korean noncitizens. Therefore, the recent welfare reform which denies legal aliens welfare benefits such as SSI and food stamps will severly affect the present living arrangements of older Korean aliens, and give economic burden to their family member The findings also show that there are significant differences within the elderly Korean Americans in terms of demographics, income, fertility, health status, and patterns of living arrangements by U.S. citizenship status. In particular, after controlling for age at migration as a proxy for acculturation, there is a statistically significant variation in living arrangements between elderly Korean noncitizens and naturalized citizens. For both theoretical and methodological reasons, future research on minority aging needs to investigate the concept of U.S. citizenship status for its impact on patterns of living arrangements among the minority elderly.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Community Living Science Conference
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.196-200
• /
• 2005

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.615-628
• /
• 2004

This study is designed to examine influences of living arrangements on psycho-social factors, health and nutritional status, dietary adequacy and meal service utility patterns of the elderly. Nutritional status was evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Three hundred and nine elderly (110 men and 199 women) who participated in meal service in the Chung-buk province were investigated. Proportion of the elderly living alone, couples only, living with spouse and family, living with family without spouse; and living with other than family were 30.7%, 25.9%, 14.2%, 24.3% and 4.9% respectively. The mean age of the elderly was 74.1 years and the elderly who are living couples only and living with spouse and family were younger than those with other living status. Living arrangements seem to be related to psycho-social factors, health and nutritional status, and dietary quality. Those who live alone and live with other than family were mostly women and they have lower socio-economic status, psycho-social, health and nutritional status and dietary patterns compared with those of the elderly who are living with spouse or family. It was found that the elderly who live a couple only and live with spouse and family had better emotional, health and nutritional index than those of the elderly who live with family without spouse, especially in case of females. Most of elderly perceived that participation of meal service programs had a positive effect on their daily life and satisfied with meals. The elderly living alone and living with other than family were more frequently using meal service but had a negative attitude about the charged meal service for better quality than the elderly with other living status. The most important reason for all the elderly to participate in meal service was to meet their friends and then to get other services. Particularly those who are living alone and living with other than family showed lack of moivation to prepare and set the meal, and for them the economic reason is also important. They also replied that the poor health and lack of other help were the most difficult problems for them to prepare meals. It would be effective to provide nutritional services that meet specific needs of the elderly according to their characteristics and living environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.109-118
• /
• 2022

This study was undertaken to compare meal skipping, snacking, and weight perceptions between students on-campus living alone and off-campus living with parents, in an urban college in the United States. The self-report survey was completed by 219 college students (on-campus=100, off-campus=119) between April and May 2012. Two-thirds (67%) of the respondents skipped at least one meal in the past week, and most participants showed strong desires to lose weight despite their normal/under-weight status. Significant differences between the two groups were obtained for the reason to skip a meal and the type of snack consumed. Compared to on-campus students, significantly higher values were obtained for off-campus students for choosing 'no time to prepare' as a meal skipping reason for lunch and dinner, and 'sweets' as a preferred snack. In addition to the group comparison, multiple regression results indicate that the body mass index (BMI) positively correlates with meal skipping and snacking frequencies. Younger students and female students were determined to have a higher frequency of meal skipping and morning snacking. Future research is required to study the dietary factors associated with living arrangements, to help college students develop healthy eating habits.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.64 no.1
• /
• pp.249-271
• /
• 2012

This research examines the degree and the patterns of living arrangement transitions and analyzes the factors affecting transitions in living arrangement among elders in Korea. Data came from four-wave panel study of Hallym Aging Research Institute. The first wave was conducted in 2003, and each successive wave occurred exactly 2 years after. Respondents who were aged 60 and over, and had at least one living child were selected for this research. The baseline consisted of 1,907 respondents(2003), then became 985 for the fourth transition interval (2009). A total of 825 who participated both in 2003 and 2009 were used. Binomial logit regression analyses were used to analyze the effects of demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, physical health, cognitive function, psychological well-being, and cultural attitudes toward elder care on transitions in living arrangements. Results show that 29.82% of the elders made transitions in living arrangements from 2003 to 2009, indicating remarkably unstable living situation over this time period. The ratio of living alone is increased from 17.6% to 19.6%, in contrast with decreased ratio of living with married children from 30.5% to 25.2%, and that of living with unmarried children from 19.9% to 13.7%. Factors affecting transitions in living arrangement were different according to types of living arrangement. Elders living with married children were more likely to be older, widowed and to have higher level of psychological well-being and more traditional attitude toward elder care. Elders living alone were more likely to be women, widowed, and to have more chronic diseases and lower level of psychological well-being.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 2016

Currently, there is a gradual increase in double-income households in our country, and one-child families gradually become the norm as well due to a decrease in the birth rate. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of spatial use and furniture arrangements in the residential spaces of one-child double-income households in an effort to be of use for spatial planning suitable for their living. 30 cases of double-income households whose children's ages ranged from infancy to secondary school years were visited to have in-depth interviews and make on-site inspections. The findings of the study were as follows: First, the most common spatial use pattern for three bedrooms was using one for the parents, another for their child and the third for personal computers and clothing storage. It signified that the parents and their child used one room respectively, and that there were personal computers and clothing in the third room. Second, as for the pattern of using the rooms according to furniture arrangements, there were great disparities in that regard according to child age. It implies that there were differences in their living and needs for furniture arrangements according to their children's growth. The findings of the study made it possible to determine the state of living in the double-income households in detail, and suggest that differentiated house planning is required depending on children's age groups.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.15-26
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted in order to understand grandmothers' satisfaction of caring for working mothers' children and the influence of related variables with regard to living arrangements. The data were collected from 245 grandmothers who have been caring for their grandchildren for more than 6 months. The data were analyzed by mean, t-test, $x^2$-test, and hierarchical multiple regression. The results were as follows: First, Degree of satisfaction was lower in grandmothers who were living with their children than those who were not. Second, the variables affecting the grandmothers living with their children were economic status, extent of care giving activities, and social support, wherein social support proved to be the most influential. In the case of those not living with their children, the significant variables were motive and social support, motive being more influential. This result indicates that affecting variables differ by the grandmothers' living arrangements, and thus the strategy to enhance their care giving satisfaction should differ as well, based on the findings.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.534-545
• /
• 2020

In the super-aged societies, an increased elderly population living in solitude has been causing many problems. Since the elderly may incur a sense of loss and interest in suicide when living alone, this study investigated the effects of smartphones as well as types of living arrangements on elderly peoples' sense of loss and suicidal thoughts. This study found social roles and relationships were lower for older individuals using smartphones than those using 2G phones. Not surprisingly, those living with family members or a partner had significantly fewer suicidal thoughts than those living in solitude. However, our results indicate subjects' loss of role and relationships was affected more significantly by their smartphone usage (2G phone vs. smartphone) rather than their living arrangements (i.e., living with family or a partner vs. living in solitude). Moreover, smartphone users showed a lower sense of loss in terms of social roles and relationships. Among the elderly, loss of health, social role, and relationships were identified as precedents for increased suicidal thoughts; yet, economic capacity was surprisingly not an indicator of suicidal thoughts.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.55-65
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study is to suggest the basic data which can be used as comfortable dwelling circumstance to keep a life as self-reliant and secure as possible for their activity daily life in the elderly housing. In the results of this study we can be found that the elderly complain many difficult when they do their activity daily life in the interior housing space. See the aspect of space, improvement of architectural arrangements like stairs, lighting arrangements, bathroom, kitchen are required and in the characteristic of elderly, we can found the effect of health condition, education in activity daily life.