• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.205-210
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the age-related ability of dynamic balance recovery through perturbation response during standing. Method: Six older and 6 younger adults participated in this study. External perturbation during standing as pulling force applied at the pelvic level in the anterior direction was provided to the subject. The margin of stability was quantified as a measure of postural stability or dynamic balance recovery, and using principal component analysis (PCA), the regularity of the margin of stability (MoS) was calculated. Results: Our results showed that in the older adult group, 60.99% and 28.63% of the total variance were captured using the first and second principal components (PCs), respectively, and in the younger adult group, 81.95% and 10.71% of the total variance were captured using the first and second PCs, respectively. Conclusion: Ninety percent of the total variance captured using the first two PCs indicates that the older adults had decreased regularity of the MoS than the younger adults. Thus, the results of the present study suggest that aging is associated with non-regularity of dynamic postural stability.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.151-157
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of physical therapy service utilization and user satisfaction depending on the experience with therapeutic exercise or ultrasound intervention among elderly persons using senior centers. Methods: The subjects were adults aged over 60 years (total 215) recruited in 40 senior centers located in each province in South Korea. Subjects responded to questions concerning overall demographics factors, utilized characteristics of physical therapy service and 12 variety user satisfactions with effectiveness, facilities, and therapist using a survey instrument. The collected data were analyzed by Fishers' exact tests and t-tests using the SPSS 21.0 program to compare the results of elderly persons who had or had not experienced exercise therapy or ultrasound therapy. Results: The participants that experienced ultrasound therapy or therapeutic exercise reported significantly higher overall results pertaining to effectiveness of physical therapy and a clear explanation from physical therapist's satisfaction than those who were non-experienced. Satisfaction with pain relief was significantly higher among elderly who experienced therapeutic exercise than those who did not. Those who underwent ultrasound therapy showed significantly higher satisfaction with facilities and location than those who did not. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that satisfaction among users differs by type of physical therapy. In the future, physiotherapy services provided in senior centers needs to be designed to improve the effectiveness of physical therapy, professionalism of physical therapists and comfort of facility.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2014

Purse: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a laughter therapy on mental health promoting like depression, laughing index of elderly. Methods: The study was conducted based on the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participations included 12 older adults in the control group and 11 in the experiment group. Data was collected from October 1 to November 22, 2013. Experimental group participated in laughter therapy six times, once a week for 60 minutes of each session. Questionnaires were used to measure pretest and posttest levels of depression and laughing index. Results: At the end of six-week intervention, depression score (z=-2.95 p=.003) and laughter index score (z=-2.81 p=.005) was significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Futhermore, there was a significant difference in the depression scores of the experiment group at the posttest, but no signigicant difference was found between the two groups. Conclusion: The study results suggest that the laughter therapy is an effective intervention to reduce the depression but helpful to enhance the laughing index. Therefore, it is expected that laughter therapy will serve as an emotional nursing intervention for elderly patients with depression.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2022

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish an association between grip strength and gait variability in the elderly. Methods: The participants in this experiment (n = 20) were aged 65 or older. Power grip and lateral pinch forces were obtained in grip strength tests, and spatiotemporal gait parameters were collected from IMU sensors during 6 min actual walking to test the gait of participants. The collected gait parameters were converted to coefficient of variation (CV) values. To confirm the association between grip strength and gait variability, a partial correlation analysis was conducted in which height, weight, and gait speed were input as controlling variables. Results: Grip power showed a significant negative correlation with the stride length CV (r = -0.52), and the lateral pinch force showed a significant negative correlation with the stance CV (r = -0.65) and swing CV (r = -0.63). Conclusion: This study reveals that gait variability decreases as grip strength increases, although height, weight, and gait speed were controlled. Thus, grip strength testing, a simple aging evaluation method, can help identify unstable gait in older adults at risk of falling, and grip strength can be utilized as a non-invasive measurement method for frailty management and prevention.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of cognitive impairment on the association between social network properties and mortality among older Korean adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. It obtained 814 older adults' complete network maps across an entire village in 2011-2012. Participants' deaths until December 31, 2020 were confirmed by cause-of-death statistics. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the risks of poor social network properties (low degree centrality, perceived loneliness, social non-participation, group-level segregation, and lack of support) on mortality according to cognitive impairment. Results: In total, 675 participants (5510.4 person-years) were analyzed, excluding those with missing data and those whose deaths could not be verified. Along with cognitive impairment, all social network properties except loneliness were independently associated with mortality. When stratified by cognitive function, some variables indicating poor social relations had higher risks among older adults with cognitive impairment, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.35) for social nonparticipation, 1.58 (95% CI, 0.94 to 2.65) for group-level segregation, and 3.44 (95% CI, 1.55 to 7.60) for lack of support. On the contrary, these effects were not observed among those with normal cognition, with adjusted HRs of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.31 to 1.71), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.42 to 2.21), and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.23 to 3.96), respectively. Conclusions: The effect of social network properties was more critical among the elderly with cognitive impairment. Older adults with poor cognitive function are particularly encouraged to participate in social activities to reduce the risk of mortality.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.220-231
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• 2021

Purpose: This study is a pseudo-experimental study of design before and after the non-equivalent control group, which was attempted to verify that the application of the ukulele to the elderly has the effects of reducing depression, improving self-efficacy, strengthening social bonding, and improving cognitive function. Methods: 46 (23 in the experimental group and 23 in the control group) participants were selected. The experimental group was provided with three sessions of a music program using eight Ukuleles for the elderly, while the control group was provided with three sessions for the elderly. IBM SPSS 25.0 was used for data analysis, and the independent t-test, 𝑥²-test, and Fisher's exact probability test were performed to verify the homogeneity of the subject's general characteristics. The effect verification after the experimental treatment was analyzed by Fisher's exact probability test, Friedman test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Depression showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (F=39.88, p<.001), self-efficacy showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (z=-4.96, p<.001), social bonding showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (z=-5.19, p<.001), and cognitive function showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (z=-3.98, p<.001). Conclusion: It was found that the 'Music Program using the Ukulele' was effective in reducing depression of the elderly, improving self-efficacy, reinforcing social bonding, and improving cognitive function. We hope that the Music Program using the Ukulele can be used in the elderly nursing curriculum in the future, and we suggest it should be applied as a nursing intervention to those who are experiencing cognitive decline.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.505-528
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• 2021

The current study examined the differential effects of giving and receiving social support in the elderly when relationships(family, friend/neighbor) are important. For this purpose, the mediation effects of meaning in life on the relationship between giving and receiving social support and self-esteem were analyzed. Self-reporting data of 310 adults aged over 60 living in Busan and Gyeongnam in South Korea were collected regarding giving and receiving social support, meaning of life and self-esteem. The mediation analysis showed that giving social support had a positive effect on self-esteem with the partial mediation effect of meaning in life. Receiving social support, however, showed no significant mediation effect of meaning in life. This pattern was similar regardless of both family and non-family relations. The result that giving social support enhances self-worth in the elderly through meaning in life suggests the importance of social interaction with intimate others as a source of happiness in the elderly.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.558-568
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing insufficient physical activity in older cancer patients. Data were analyzed from the 2014 Survey of Living Condition of Elderly study. Metabolic Equivalent Tasks(MET) hours were calculated using self-reported weekly frequency, duration and types of physical activities to measure the degree of physical activity. Factors influencing insufficient physical activity in older adults included limitations in ADL and IADL, depression, impaired cognitive function, current smoker, lower levels of social activity participation and life satisfaction with social or leisure activities. When adjusted for demographic factors, patients with ADL limitation had 2.8 times (OR=2.762, CI=1.110, 7.952) higher risks of insufficient physical activities than those without. Current smokers had 2.4 times (OR=2.426, CI=1.113, 5.288) higher risks than non-smokers.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2017

Purpose: Reported insomnia and decreased sleep quality are common among older adults. The purpose of this study was to identify factors contributing to insomnia and decreased sleep quality among elderly persons living within a community. The data will be verified with Actigraph which is a non-invasive measurement of rest/activity cycles. Methods: 137 participants over 65 years old were recruited from a senior welfare center. Their mean age was $74.07{\pm}5.18years$ old and majority was women (69.3%). The quality and quantity of nighttime sleep were assessed using Varren-synder-Halper Sleep Scale and a sleep log. Depression and fatigue were assessed using Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form and Fatigue Severity Scale, respectively. Pain was assessed using 11-point Numeric rating scale. An actigraph was used to verify the self-reported sleep. Results: Ninety-two participants (67.2%) reported insomnia. Sixty-eight subjects (49.6%) reported good sleep. Of the participants, 56.2% reported depression and 33.6% reported fatigue. In logistic regression, depression was related to insomnia (OR=3.09, p=.003). Sleep quality was related to depression (OR=2.13, p=.045) and fatigue (OR=2.24, p=.044). The data from the Sleep logs correlated with data obtained from the actigraph. Conclusion: Depression significantly influenced insomnia and sleep quality whereas fatigue only influenced sleep quality. Thus, depression and fatigue should be closely monitored among elderly persons with sleep disturbances.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.189-196
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• 2019

This study identifies the moderating effects of cognition on the relationship between self-care confidence and self-care behavior in the diabetic elderly. The participants were 205 elderly subjects with diabetes, who visited a citizen health center located in D city, Korea. Data were collected from 20th April to 31st August 2015, and were analyzed by t-test and multiple regression. Our results reveal no significant differences between the depressive and non-depressive groups, when considering diabetes self-management confidence, knowledge, behavior and cognitive function. Cognitive function had a moderating effect in the relationship between self-care confidence and self-care behavior only in the depressed group. Our results indicate that it is therefore necessary to apply individual nursing intervention based on cognitive function and depression level, and to develop various programs for improving the cognitive function and depression amongst the diabetic elderly.