• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1243-1248
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• 2011

The purposes of this study were to develop a dynamic model of a human and to investigate the effect of a walker on an elderly subject's motions, such as sit-to-stand (STS) motion and normal gait, by using this model. A human model consisting of 15 segments and 14 joints was developed, embedded in $RecurDyn^{TM}$, and connected through a Simulink$^{(R)}$ interface with collected motion data. The model was validated by comparisons between joint kinematic results from inverse dynamics (Matlab$^{(R)}$-based in-house program) and from $RecurDyn^{TM}$ simulation during walking. The results indicate that the elderly walker induced a longer movement time in walking, such that the speed of joint flexion/extension was slower than that during a normal gait. The results showed that the muscle activities of parts of the ankle and hamstring were altered by use of the elderly walker. The technique used in this study could be very helpful in applications to biomechanical fields.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.905-916
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the types of suicide attitudes among the Korean elderly. Method: The Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used. Thirty-four selected Q-statements from 38 subjects were classified into a shape of normal distributionusing a 9 point scale. The collected data was analyzed using a QUANL PC program. Result: Three types of suicide attitudes for research subjects in Korean elderly were identified. Type I is understanding suicide-self conquest and labor type, Type II is opposing suicide-family band foundation type, and Type III is sympathizing with suicide-painful situation escaping type. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that different approaches of suicide prevention programs are recommended based on the three types of suicide attitudes among Korean elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.465-473
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• 2011

Purpose : This study was to evaluate gait velocity and muscle activity on 3 different gait conditions in elderly women. Methods : There were one group was 20's generation(n=12), and the other group was over 60's generation (n=12). The velocity of gait was analysed for using the Footscan system, EMG(MP150) for muscle activity. Subjects were measured 3 gait condition(normal, obstacle-10cm, dual obstacle-10cm. Measured values were used by the independent t-test for analysing between groups, and repeated measurement of ANOVA for analysing within group. Results : The results were as follow: velocity and acticities of lower 4 muscles were significantly differences in experimental group. In control group, there were not significantly differences. Contrast-groups were significantly differences of velocity(obstacle, dual obstacle), muscle activities(soleus-dual obstacle, hamstring-all). Conclusion : These results indicate that elderly people are reduced gait ability in dual task, and obstacle gait. So Elderly women need to training obstacle/dual gait for preventing falling.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2004

To examine the cognitive function of elderly, the study examined the performance of Korean normal elderly population whose age over 65 using neuropsychological instruments. It was predicted that the performance of the Korean population would be different from the U, S. mainly due to their difference in language, culture, and education. Korean elderly people from the Chungchung and Daejeon Metropolitan city(n=97) participated. Two age scores were developed: below 74 years and over 75 years. The effect of age, gender and education was examined, which yield significant age, gender and education effect. The score of DSF, DSB, TMTA, and TMTB are expected to be utilized for research purposes, such as basic, clinical, epidemiological studies, as well as practice purposes such as diagnosis and assessment of the progression of cognitive decline and dementia with MMSE-K.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.525-540
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate what kind of experiences the deaf elderly would have in the course of life. It also aimed to promote the understanding of their living difficulties and culture among people with normal hearing and provide basic data to help them live with others as members of the community. Phenomenological qualitative research was conducted as part of the methodology. The subjects include seven deaf old people. Based on the results of in-depth interview and analysis, the life experiences of the deaf elderly were categorized into "unforgettable wounds," "life in the community," "life with the family," "marriage of the deaf elderly", and "living by adjusting to reality." First, the subcategories of "unforgettable wounds" include "receiving no treatment for fever," "damage by the Korean War," "alienation from the family," and "people's cold eyes." It turned out that the deaf elderly had led a life, suffering from the heart wounds that they could not forget. Second, the subcategories of "life in the community" include "inconvenience in life," "disadvantages in life," and "severed life." The deaf elderly were not only subjected to inconvenience and disadvantages in life, but also suffered loneliness, being cut off from the community. Third, the subcategories of "life with the family" include "not communicating with children," "being abandoned again," "being used by the family," "being lonely even with the family," and "wishing to live independently from the family." The deaf elderly were not supported by their families and were abandoned or used by them, leading a solitary life. Fourth, the subcategories of "marriage of the deaf elderly" include"send as a surrogate mother," "frequent remarriage and divorce," "lean on as a married couple." Deaf elderly form their own culture of the marriage and lean on each other. Finally, the subcategories of "living by adjusting to reality" include "getting help from neighbors," "behaving oneself right in life," "learning Hangul," "living by working," "living freely," "living by missing," and "controlling the impulse to end life," "resorting to religion." The deaf elderly made the most alienated and vulnerable group with no access to benefits due to their limitations as a linguistic and social minority, but they made efforts to form their own culture and adjust to reality for themselves. Based on those findings, the study made the following proposals: first, there is a need for practical approaches to heal the ineffaceable wounds in the hearts of deaf elderly. Second, there is a need for policies to help them experience no inconvenience and disadvantages as members of community and communicate with people with normal hearing. Third, there should be practical approaches to enable them to get recognition and support from their families and share love with them. Finally, there should be practical policy approaches to help people with normal hearing understand the culture of deaf elderly and assist the deaf elderly to receive supports from the community and live with others within the community.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.2974-2984
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• 2009

This study was scale for subjective health-recognition related general factor, health habits and management, cancer recognition and provision. Methods : The subjects were elderly who voluntarily participated in the survey. Results : The Health recognition people 50.7% answered 'Normal'. The health condition should have obstructed a daily life, said that cognition cannot be good health recognition. The health control method was bad or normal group manages with the medical supply (foodstuffs inclusion) then again, the recognition good group was answered that did not tobacco and drink alcohol or prohibit do it. For ten years from now the health recognition about cancer occurrence possibility that the health recognition good group was rare possibility 42.7%, bad group was 52.0% and normal group was 47.6%. Conclusions : In health promotion priorities of elderly differed by gender and subjective health status. The regular exercise and health-related habit do as a favor the possibility of living is healthy.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.95-102
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• 2008

Multiple physical changes of the larynx and its components occur with age. Vocal pitch, commonly expressed through measures of fundamental frequency (Fo) relate to physical conditions of the larynx. Available data is lacking for the senescent voice, and should be applied to the of changes of elderly speakers' Fo characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Fo of normal elderly speaker's voice. A total of 406 normal elderly speakers (207 males and 199 females) participated in this experiment. Age ranged from 60 years to 89 years. The subjects were asked to produce sustained corner vowels (/a/ /i/ /u/) three times each and the data were analyzed using the MDVP of CSL. According to the results of this study, the mean Fo from the ages of 60's to 80's shows 143.95Hz(SD 13.94) for men and 185.42Hz (SD 15.29) for women. For men, a significant change is found as a function of age in the Fo (F=16.181, p<.05). A post-hoc Scheffe test revealed significant differences between the Fo data of subjects aged 60's and 70's, 60's and 80's. For women, a significant change is found as a function of age in the Fo (F=49.013, p<.05). A post-hoc $Scheff'{e}$ test revealed significant differences between the Fo data of subjects in their 60's and 70's, 70's and 80's, 60's and 80's. The Fo of men goes up from their 60's to 80's gradually, whereas the Fo of women goes down gradually until their 70's, and after their 70's it again increases. It has been known that diminishing estrogen levels in women in old age may be a factor in lowering Fo, whereas diminishing testosterone levels in men may contribute to a rising Fo. This result may be used as some meaningful guideline and lead the basic data to differentiate between normal aged voice and aged voice disorders.

• Design Convergence Study
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.17-37
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of the center of age-friendly goods to confirm the public value of the center. 152 elderly participants, either who have utilized the center themselves or who have experienced the center indirectly through the image have participated in the study. The experience of age-friendly product center was evaluated by the contingent valuation method, which is widely used in the public services. A double-bounded dichotomous choice (DB-DC) log-logistic model and a log-normal model were conducted. As the result of the estimation, the truncated mean of the log-logistic model was 3,401 Korean won, with the mean of 4,937 won. In addition, the truncated mean of the log-normal model was 3,433 won, with the mean of 4,144 won. Elderly who have not experienced the center placed a higher value on the center, compared to the experienced elderly. The results imply the necessity to enlarge the opportunity for future suppliers to experience the center for age-friendly products, in order to improve their objective understandings. In addition, the necessity of expanding exhibition products and applying age-friendly designs is proposed, to offer various attractive experiences to elderly.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to develop the Korean version of Music-Related Quality of Life (K-MRQoL) for the elderly. The K-MRQoL consisted of Musical Ability, Attitude, Activity Frequency (PART 1) and Musical Ability, Attitude, Activity Important (PART 2). Each subcategory consists of Music Perception with 11 items and Music Engagement with 7 items. The validity and reliability of K-MRQoL were measured with Pearson's and Cronbach's alpha correlation coefficients and Independent t-test in total 30 elderly with normal hearing and 30 elderly with hearing loss from local welfare Centers and nursing homes. The correlation coefficients between total scores and PART 1 and PART 2 ranged from .701 to .948 and from .598 to .926, respectively. The internal consistency between total and Part 1 and Part 2 ranged from .846 to .931 and from .838 to .918, respectively. The test-retest correlations were .979, .970, and 979 for total, PART 1, and PART 2, respectively. The correlation between K-MRQoL and Quality of Communication Life Scale was .449. There were significant differences in total, PART 1, and PART 2 between the elderly with normal hearing and hearing loss. This indicates that the K-MRQoL can be used as a useful clinical tool to evaluate Music-related Quality of Life in the elderly with normal hearing or hearing loss.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 2010

Korea does not have a certain criteria on the respiratory ability and phonation of the normal aged, and also has no clear standard to examine the boundaries of geriatric diseases. This study analyzed the characteristics in respiration and phonation of the aged in normal healthy elderly from diverse angles with different variables. Thirty-three participants in total, seven males and eight females in the age group 55-64 participated in the study. Seven males and eleven females in the age group 65-74 were selected for the respiration and phonation experiments, and 10 different variables such as FVC, $FEV_1$, $FEV_1$/FVC, MPT, MFR, Psub, f0, jitter, shimmer and NHR were comparatively analyzed for each group of different age and gender. To see the difference in respiration and phonation by age and gender, the study conducted a two-way ANOVA. First, from the result of the analysis on respiratory ability, FVC of male appeared to be significantly greater than female. In both age groups of 55-64 and 65-74, male displayed greater FVC than female did. Second, as for $FEV_1$, $FEV_1$/FVC, the age group of 55-64 showed greater values than the values measured in the age group of 65-74. Third, MFR showed a significant difference by gender. In both age groups, male showed significantly higher MFR than female. Fourth, for different gender, a significant difference in MFR was observed. In both age groups of 55-64 and 65-74, male exhibited higher MFR than female. This study has a clinical implication in that it analyzed the criteria on respiration and phonation in normal healthy elderly according to gender and age. The normal aged showed a difference in their respiratory and phonatory functions by age and gender, it was closely related to the decline of pulmonary function due to the physical aging and the weak respiration coming from weakness of respiratory muscles. Also, the physical differences in height, weight, and the muscles in laryngeal and respiratory system between males and females had an influence on the performance. These results from this study might be a helpful guideline for the clinical criterion in the future.