• Journal of Advanced Technology Convergence
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.17-27
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• 2024

This study focuses on the development and evaluation of a chatbot system based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework to enhance community participation among elderly individuals with mild dementia in South Korea. The study involved 12 elderly participants who were living alone and had been diagnosed with mild dementia, along with 15 caregivers who were actively involved in their daily care. The development process included a comprehensive needs assessment, system design, content creation, natural language processing using Transformer Attention Algorithm, and usability testing. The chatbot is designed to offer personalized activity recommendations, reminders, and information that support physical, social, and cognitive engagement. Usability testing revealed high levels of user satisfaction and perceived usefulness, with significant improvements in community activities and social interactions. Quantitative analysis showed a 92% increase in weekly community activities and an 84% increase in social interactions. Qualitative feedback highlighted the chatbot's user-friendly interface, relevance of suggested activities, and its role in reducing caregiver burden. The study demonstrates that an ICF-based chatbot system can effectively promote community participation and improve the quality of life for elderly individuals with mild dementia. Future research should focus on refining the system and evaluating its long-term impact.

• Studies on Life and Culture
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• v.52
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• pp.201-223
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• 2019

This study is about a life history of a male recovered alcohol addict. The purpose of this study was to understand the cause of addiction of alcoholics in the life of male alcoholics, Find out the factors that affect the cause, and aims to understand alcohol-recovery experience. This study included male alcohol addicts recovering for more than 10 years. this study based on life-history analysis framework suggested by Mandelbaum(1973) on life history and divides the study points into 'dimension of life,' 'turning point' and 'adaptation . The results of this study are as follows: first, 'dimension of life' of the study participant was divided into several sectors for the analysis including'the day my father failed', 'a young day like a castle bulit on sand', 'the married life was locked up liquor bottle', 'the dead end, a life left alone . The 'turning point' was revealed as 'attempted suicide, and a desire for desirable life', 'a rope came down from the sky, the basic living security patment', 'open a new door, go into the welfare center . The 'adaptation' was derived from the 'loneliness chosen to escape from addiction', 'fill empty time and space', 'overcoming with fairy godmother . Based on these results, this study presents iscussions on social welfare practices and policies.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.88-96
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• 2020

The rate of admission to facilities for people with developmental disabilities in Korea is very high for other types of disabilities. Therefore, 'community care', which supports life in the community for people with developmental disabilities, is very important compared to other types of disabilities. However, in Korea, families with disabilities are the problem of care and are appealing for the burden of support. This study analyzed practical cases through welfare institutional visits and interviews on support for community independence in Japan. As a result of the study, the transition of people with developmental disabilities to communities in Japan was centered on group home. The private sector is providing support for people with severe disabilities in group home to live in communities, and Sapporo City Hall is conducting private connections to solve the problem of caring for the developmentally disabled elderly parents. Accordingly, as Korean policy recommendations, it is proposed to expand group home, switch functions of living facilities for the disabled, cope with the problem of caring for the disabled by elderly parents, and provide preventive services through surveys on the actual condition of adults living alone. As practical suggestions, it is necessary to develop and distribute educational textbooks such as pictures to improve daily life skills for self-reliance, expand sufficient manpower and facilities in vocational training for self-reliance, and operate shelters for adults with developmental disabilities and their guardians.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.185-193
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• 2012

This study conducted surveys of 88 eldery people over 100 years in Gyeongnam on April to June, 2011 during 90 days. It was intended to find the factors of longevity, Activity Daily of Living (ADL), and Instrumental Activity Daily of Living (IADL). Major results of this study were as follows: The factors of longevity are getting enough sleep over than seven hours(95.5%), taking in less salty food (69.8%), optimism without even thinking about suicide (86.9%), nonsmoking habit (92%), and moderation in drink (86.4%). The most difficult part of Activity Daily of Living (ADL) is taking a bath, and that of Instrumental Activity Daily of Living (IADL) is taking a bus or subway alone. All items of ADL and IADL, female was higher than the male, but not statistically significant(p<0.05). Therefore, further study is expected to develop the supplementary policy to support the elderly people with declining to carry out physical activities. It is also expected to develop the public welfare programs and policies for the aged, allowing them to take responsibility and to participate as a member of the society.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2005

The present study is designed to provide basic data for the future health promotion projects to be aimed at improving quality of life for the elderly people in the increasingly aging society of Korea by investigating factors related to the yangseng of old people in rural areas. The results of this study are intended to serve as fundamental for efficient approach toward health promotion projects for the elderly in rural communities. For this purpose, a survey by questionnaires was conducted to rural inhabitants from May to June 2004. The replies were analyzed from the perspective of Oriental medicine for yangseng. 1. The average points of health care appeared to be 3.24. In details by sub-areas, morality was 3.79, followed by 3.74 for activities and rest, 3.73 for sleeping, 3.29 for diet, 3.25 for mind, 2.88 for season, 2.12 for exercise and 1.95 for sexual life in sequence, showing that the yangseng of morality was scored highest while the area of sexual life were rated lowest. 2. As for the extent of health care depending on the characters of the subjects, spoused ones, married couples living alone, while the higher educated and the more leisure is utilized, the more the care is paid for yangseng. 3. Concerning the extent of yangseng depending on the general characters of the subjects, men showed more yangseng in activities and rest. The group aged 70 to 74 acquired the highest points in mind yangseng. The group with spouse featured higher concern for yangseng in the categories of morality, diet, activities and rest, sleeping and sexual life. Married couples who are living with no other family members recorded the highest points in the areas of morality, diet, sleeping and sexual life(P<0.05). 4. In terms of socioeconomic characters, the more one is educated, the more he/she is tended to take yangseng in the exercise, sleeping and sexual life. The group with occupation is inclined to take more yangseng in the activities and rest and sleeping. When people have to work for their keep, they usually showed to have highest yangseng for sleeping. People who enjoy leisure showed higher yangseng in all areas except for morality. In case man has religion, he showed more yangseng in the activities and rest, exercise and sleeping(P<0.05). 5. Those who reply they are confident with health showed higher yangseng. No significant difference was found in all areas except for sexual life in which high care is taken for yangseng, as far as one has no disease. Those who are confident with health had highest yangseng in all areas except for season yangseng(P<0.05). As seen above, extents of yangseng by the old people in the rural area are found to have difference depending on the individual and socioeconomic characters, factors which should be seriously considered in the local health promotion projects and projects for the health of the elderly. Particularly important is to launch health promotion programs and to analyze their effects to promote health care particularly in the areas of sexual life, exercise and season yangseng that turned out to be lowest by taking into account of yangseng in each sub-area.

• 한국노년학
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.601-616
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• 2017

Elderly suicide is a major public health issue in South Korea. The aim of this study was to systematically examine the current knowledge about suicidal ideation among Korean older adults with specific focus on risk and preventive factors. In order to achieve this aim, a meta-analysis was conducted using Korean academic peer-reviewed journals published since 2001. A total of 97 articles were selected that met the research criteria (e.g., original study findings and key words of suicidal ideation, suicidal thought, and suicide). Three domains were identified and used for further analysis: individual, family, and society. Results showed that among individual factors, depression and burden or stress increased the risk of suicidal ideation, while better mental health reduced the risk of suicidal ideation. Among family factors, living alone was a risk factor for suicidal ideation, while family cohesion was a preventive factor for suicidal ideation. Among social factors, elderly discrimination, social isolation, and negative relationships were significant risk factors, while social support, social environment, and social activities were significant preventive factors affecting suicidal ideation. The results suggest several practical implications for developing suicide prevention programs and counseling approaches to address suicidal ideation. For example, depression and stress can be reduced by MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program where meditation is used as a coping strategy. In addition, counseling programs specifically focused on improving family and social relations should be implemented. Government should continuously support for these programs to prevent suicide among older Koreans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.455-463
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• 1996

A survey was conducted to investigate the perceptions of health and foods, and the food habits among the elderly men who came to the Tap-Gol park on a daily basis. A total of 253 subjects were selected for this study. The data was analyzed through the $X^2-test$, Duncan's multiple range test and Pearson Correlation by the use of SAS program. The results were as follows. The majority of the subjects were in their 70's. 56.1% of them lived with their sons' families, 9.1% lived alone, and 27.3% lived with a spouse. 32% of the subjects were living with the expense less than 50,000 won per month. Although some were suffering from such diseases as arthritis, indigestion, and hypertension etc., the subjects were generally in good health. Their dependance on dietary supplements were insignificant. Most of the subject had a common-sensible notion as to health. They put emphasis on the three factors for the maintenance of good health: a balanced diet, a peace of mind and exercising. With regard to the food habits, the majority were fair in general. The subject living with family had more regular meals than the single people did. 41.5% of the subjects responded that they had irregular meals, mainly for lunch due to a poor appetite or a financial problem. The respondents cited protein food, milk, fruit, sea weeds and food cooked with oil as conducive to good health. But what they consumed did not match what they thought was good, particularly milk. The results of this study lead to the suggestion that Korea need to develop such a lunch program for the elderly as is practiced in the U.S., through which dietary motivation can be stimulated and a low-priced and balanced diet offered at least for one meal a day.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.330-338
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• 2018

As population aging progresses, there is a growing demand for IT technology that can relieve the psychological anxiety of the elderly living alone, recognize the dangerous situation, and check the family members' affection. In this paper, we describe the development of a speech recognition speaker that enable senior users to give simple interactive commands by voice and monitor the status of the user. The speaker analyzes the user's voice, grasps the conversation contents through the chatbot, connects the desired service to the user, and provides the result again by voice. By using this speaker, senior users can feel relaxed by natural conversation, and can monitor the status of danger more easily.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the regional characteristics and the age-adjusted cardio-cerebrovascular disease mortality rates (SCDMR) in 229 si·gun·gu administrative regions. Methods: SCDMR of man and woman was used as a dependent variable using the statistical data of death cause in 2017. As a representative index of regional characteristics, health behavior factors, socio-demographic and economic factors, physical environment factors, and health care factors were selected as independent variables. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were performed to identify their relationship. Results: OLS analysis showed significant factors affecting the mortality rates of cardio-cerebrovascular disease as follows: high-risk drinking rates, the ratio of elderly living alone, financial independence, and walking practice rates. GWR analysis showed that the regression coefficients were varied by regions and the influence directions of the independent variables on the dependent variable were mixed. GWR showed higher adjusted R² and Akaike information criterion values than those of OLS. Conclusion: If there is a spatial heterogeneity problem as Korea, it is appropriate to use the GWR model to estimate the influence of regional characteristics. Therefore, results using the GWR model suggest that it needs to establish customized health policies and projects for each region considering the socio-economic characteristics of each region.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.457-462
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• 2015

Hybrid video call healthcare system that we propose in thesis is a service for powerless people rather than ordinary people. This system is for communication between users and protectors(or volunteers). To reduce the underprivileged through the 'Malbeot Nanumi' is the purpose of the system. Hybrid Health Care System using a video call and temperature/humidity/pulse sensors that we propose in thesis can connect sensors with software, and save p2p connection information for 'Malbeot Nanumi' service by database. And health check data can save locally. Hybrid Health Care System in a Wireless Network Environment is a system that elderly people living alone is to be a conversation. The purpose of this thesis is to develop the software and to design a convenient UI to the user, And increasing consumption of care system by increasing the happiness index and increasing aging population.