• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.495-503
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of cognitive level, nutritional status and depression in elderly according to living situations. Method: The subjects consisted of 173 elderly classifying three groups(living alone, living with spouse, living with children). Data was collected from March to June, 2003 by a structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, MMSE-K, nutritional status and depression scale. The collected data was analyzed by the SPSS program including descriptive statistics, $\chi$$^2$-test, ANCOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Result: In MMSE-K, the living alone group showed suspicious dementia while the other groups were normal. The living alone group showed a high nutritional risk and all three groups showed depression. In MMSE-K, the nutritional status and depression were statistically significant by the living situation. In each group except living with spouse, MMSE-K indicated a significantly negative correlation to depression and nutritional status, while nutritional status showed a significantly positive correlation to depression. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop supportive programs for decreasing the risk of bad health in the elderly and an individual approach according to their living situation. Especially, more concern and intervention is necessary for the solitary elderly.

• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.307-315
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• 2015

Recently, Smart Home System(SHS) is applied in order to provide comfort, energy efficient and better security to the residence. Thus, by introducing the SHS in the house of elderly people, it is possible to provide a convenient and safe life for old people especially living alone. This paper presents the design and implementation of a low cost but yet flexible and secure smart-phone based SHS. The design is based on inter-working between Arduino board with Bluetooth and Arduino board with Ethernet shield, and the home monitor/appliances are connected to the input/output ports of this board via sensors/relays. In addition, when the old man is put on an emergency, the proposed system will automatically notify it the family. Therefore, we have implemented an inexpensive and efficient SHS for the elderly living alone by inter-working smart phones, internet server and Arduino micro-controller.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.333-344
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to identify differences in health habits, perceived stress, depression, and suicidal thinking by gender for elderly people who are living alone and elderly people who are living with others. Method: The study participants were 4,051 people aged 65 years and over who were surveyed in the Third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005. The relationship among outcomes and living arrangement by gender in elders was assessed using multiple logistic regression while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Older men living alone were less likely to have breakfast and more likely to perceive stress and think of suicide than older men living with family or others. On the other hand, older women who live alone were less likely to perceive stress than older women who live with others. Age, educational level, income, and number of diseases were significantly associated with each individual outcome. Conclusion: This study showed that living alone has a significant impact on physical health habits and psychological health of elderly people, especially for older men. Therefore, living arrangement should be considered in developing a health promotion program for elders as well as age, gender, education, and income.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.167-177
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• 2016

Objectives : The aims of this study were to identify life satisfaction of elderly living alone based on their health status and suggest measures that improve their physical, mental and oral health, which could be used in future welfare policies on the elderly. Methods : The study subjects were 307 senior citizens who lived alone and used senior citizen centers in Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do. Results : Life satisfaction tended to be high when the subjects had a low number of chronic diseases, no activity limitations and stress, no suicidal feelings, no tooth mobility and chewing difficulty and denture use. Conclusions : To improve life satisfaction, elderly living alone need to make effort to maintain their health however, policy programs that improve the physical, mental and oral health of the elderly need to be promoted.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.31-38
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics and changes of elderly households in rural area. The elderly were classified as elderly living alone, elderly couple living together, and elderly living with their children. Data from the survey of Ministry of Health and Welfare conducted in 1998, 2008, 2017 were used for the analysis. The subjects of the study included a sample of 9,401 respondents who represent aged 65 or more in Korea. The result of analysis was as follows; First, over the past 20 years, there has been no significant difference in the composition of the sexes of elderly in rural area, and aging is becoming more serious. Second, elderly living with children continue to decrease, and elderly couple are increasing. The number of elderly living alone is on the increase, but it tends to decrease in 2017. Third, the proportion of houses in elderly households is still very high, but it is gradually decreasing and the proportion of apartments is increasing. Fourth, the frequency of communication with children tended to increase slightly in all household types, while the frequency of encounter decreased slightly in 2008 and then increased in 2017. Fifth, the health status and economic status of the elderly have been gradually improved over the past 20 years. Finally, the emotional support in all elderly households is maintained constantly, but the instrumental support is gradually weakened.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.8
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• pp.265-272
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• 2018

This study is a descriptive study to investigate the factors influencing the level of cognitive function among elderly living alone according to the presence of dementia risk factors. We conducted a simple questionnaire, GDS-K and MMSE-DS tests to investigate the risk of dementia among 143 elderly people living alone in the community. The results showed that the major factors influencing the cognitive function of the elderly people living alone were education, age, depression status, smoking, leisure activities, and gender. In order to develop strategies for the prevention of dementia in the elderly people living alone, it is necessary to change lifestyle and provide various management methods to identify risk factors that negatively affect cognitive function and to help cognitive health.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.423-431
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• 2015

This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of social support in the influence of depression on the health promotion behavior of low-income elderly living alone. The data were collected from 294 elderly recipients of national basic livelihood security who are living alone and the data were analyzed by path analysis. The results were that depression and social support had direct effect on health promotion behaviors and depression had indirect effect on health promotion behaviors through mediating effect of social support. Results showed the importance of depression and social support in the health promotion behaviors of the low-income elderly living alone, which should be considered in the intervention. On the basis of the results, practical suggestions to increase the health promotion behaviors of the low-income elderly living alone were discussed.

• 한국노년학
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.1015-1033
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and essence of the life of elderly men living alone in public rental housing. Among the phenomenological study methods, the present study used the analysis method proposed by Giorgi(2009). The study participants included 10 elderly men living alone in public rental housing who were recruited through network sampling. The research data were collected through in-depth interviews conducted twice for each person. The results showed that living alone as an elderly man is likened to standing against cold wind out in the wilderness of the world, with living alone deemed a power game between life and death. For the participants, public rental housing is a fence that separates them from the world-the final station of a wandering life. For common people, public rental housing is a stable fence, but for the participants, it is the location of a double-edged solitary life out in the wilderness where the instincts for survival and death play a tug of war. Based on the study findings, the researcher discussed and provided suggestions for psychological housing stability, the disparagement of the elderly in mass media, and countermeasures against psychological isolation.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.111-119
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• 2023

This study aimed to analyze the changes in news articles related to 'Elderly Living Alone' by comparing Big Data-based news articles related to 'Elderly Living Alone' reported before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. For this, 2018 to 2019 were selected before the outbreak of COVID-19, and 2020 to 2021 were selected after the outbreak, and news articles related to 'Elderly Living Alone' were collected and analyzed using BIGKinds. The main results are as follows. First, the number of related articles decreased after the outbreak of COVID-19 compared to before. Second, there was no significant difference in the analysis of related words. Third, in the relationship diagram analysis, 'Executives' before the outbreak of COVID-19 and 'Corona 19' after that showed the most weight. This study is expected to be used as basic data in preparing improvement plans for national policies and systems in the context of the spread of infectious diseases in relation to 'Elderly Living Alone'.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2014

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with suicidal ideation among the elderly living alone received the elderly care service in a rural area. Methods: This study was surveyed 206 the elderly living alone who received the elderly care service in G-gun, Jeollanamdo. The collected data were socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, family support and suicidal ideation. The used methods for statistical analysis were used t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlational analysis and the multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: In univariate analysis, the suicidal ideation of the elderly living alone was statistically significant associated with age, monthly income, sufficiency of sleeping, depression, stress, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, perceived health status and family support. As a result of multiple regression analysis, the associated factors with suicidal ideation were age, depression, stress and the activities of daily living. Conclusions: The suicidal ideation of the elderly living alone in the rural area was associated with age, mental health and independency of living. It will be needed the multidisciplinary approaches to prevent the suicidal ideation and attempts of the elderly living alone.