• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.443-451
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• 2017

The purpose of this research is to examine ways to improve the quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas by identifying their stress, social support, and quality of life as well as analyzing the relationships between these factors. In this research, a questionnaire survey was conducted for approximately two weeks including 232 elderly people aged 65 years and above who were using 10 senior welfare centers in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions. The results of the analysis based on the collected data showed that of the stresses experienced by elderly people living alone in urban areas, the stresses of health, family, and psychological and social stresses had negative effects on social support and quality of life. Also, it was found that the social support of elderly people living alone had positive effects on the quality of life. Additionally, it was found that social support had a mediating effect in the relationship between stress and quality of life of elderly people living alone in urban areas. In other words, social support plays a buffer role in enhancing the quality of life regarding health, family, economy, and psychological and social stresses. This research has significant implications in that it was conducted on elderly people living alone, since elderly people living alone are not only under more stressful circumstances in a vulnerable environment than other seniors but also their quality of life is much lower. The implications of this research are that, from a social point of view, these elderly people living alone should no longer be neglected and that differentiated policy interventions for elderly people living alone is required.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2015

Objective : Positive psychotherapy is based on the premise that positive thoughts and satisfaction with life are determinants for improving the symptoms of depressive disorder. This article highlights the effectiveness of group positive psychotherapy on the elderly living alone with depressive disorder in Korea. Methods : A total of 25 Korean elderly living alone with depressive disorder participated in group positive psychotherapy. The participants completed the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Positive Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) before and after the group positive psychotherapy. Results : The HAMD and PTQ scores of the participants after the group positive psychotherapy were higher than before the psychotherapy. A correlation between the age of patients and improvement of symptoms after group positive psychotherapy was found : the older the patients were, the better the improvements were. Conclusion : The study shows that group positive psychotherapy in the elderly living alone is effective in improving the symptoms of depressive disorder. The participant's age was found to be a factor that affects the improvement of depressive disorder symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.107-115
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of forest healing programs with walking, sightseeing, and forest scent among six healing forest treatments using forest environment on the cognitive function, depression, and quality of life of elderly living alone. The subjects of the study were 17 senior citizens living in Samcheok and complaining of severe depression and forgetfulness. They were divided into two groups, and each group participated in the six sessions of the weekly forest healing program. All of them were surveyed of a Korean version of the MMSE-K, BDI (Beck Depression Inventory Korean Version), and SF-36 (Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire) with the questionnaire designed for the one-group pre-post test to examine changes in cognitive function, depression, and quality of life. The results showed that the mental status, depression level, and quality of life of respondents were significantly higher after healing programs. These results suggest that participation in healing program activities using forest environment can improve cognitive function, relieve depression and improve quality of life for senior citizens living alone. Therefore, inducing older adults who live alone and avoid outside activities to participate in the regular forest healing program will contribute to the prevention of dementia due to age and environment.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate the positive effect of health promoting strategy program on health of the elderly who use senior citizens' center. A total of 53 elderly people from 6 senior citizens' centers participated in this study from May. 1. to August. 31. 1996. Questionnaires which health age, activity of daily living. health promoting behavior, measurement in muscle tolerance, flexibility were used for interviewing them. The results of the study analyzed using a SPSS/WIN were as follows; 1) Their mean age was 75.7. In the family type, there was a $67.9\%$, living with sons and daughters, $32.1\%$ living with alone or couple. They have spent about 5 - 6 hours in senior citizens' centers. Mostly they have had a chat with them and played the Hwatoo. 2) There were significantly decrease of health age, mean value 0.59 to 0.49 and significantly increase activity of daily living, mean value 13.85 to 15.8. 3) There were slightly increase of health promoting behavior, flexibility and muscle tolerance, but without statistical significance.

• Korea Science and Art Forum
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.219-230
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• 2019

According to the National Statistical Office, the number of senior citizens aged 65 or over has exceeded 7 million as of 2017, and the number of senior citizens who live alone among them exceeded 1.3 million. Most of the senior citizens who live alone suffer from absolute poverty (68.5% of them has monthly income less than 500,000 won) and they have difficulties for basic living in the blind spot of our society. In particular, the heating is quite a serious issue for the senior citizens who live alone and belong to vulnerable social group in the winter, and to make it worse, they are exposed to frequent fire accidents due to the negligence in handling electric appliances such as electric heaters and electric pads. The main reason the indoor tent products are being used by senior citizens who live alone is that it saves energy, ensures warm sleep, and improves fire safety. Following the expansion of the indoor tent market, this study focused on the idea that there is a need for an in door tent suitable for senior citizens who live alone and belong to low income bracket and intended to improve its efficiency in relation to use, resting, and storage. For this, a basic survey was conducted on the products of existing brands to analyze advantages and disadvantages and it was possible to understand the demands that consumers have for existing products. Accordingly, a survey on consumer preference was conducted using a designed model and the Zabara typp, which demonstrated the best efficiency in terms of installation convenience, space usability, and appearance design was selected. Based on the results of selection, the product design and final prototype were completed. The results and details of the study are as follows; First, factors that were not recognized in product development phase could be identified through usability survey and interview with actual users. Second, for the effective aspect of the prototype, senior citizens could install and fold the tend more easily and quickly than expected. Based on these results of this study, it is expected that not only senior citizens who live alone but also various other users can use the tent to create another comfortable private space indoors.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.163-176
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• 2013

This paper investigates housing defects and housing satisfaction of the aged according to the personal characteristics and their housing environment. Personal interview was made on the 280 senior persons living in Jeonbuk area. Research results are following. Low levels were found in education, self privately-owned property, monthly income. Most of them live in a detached house that is outdated and obsolete. The facility defects of housing were the most serious level in case of the female senior citizen who lives alone. Their house aging was old but had the high deviation among households. Main influencing factors on facility defects of housing were perceived economic status and ownership of house, the next was age of the aged. Main influencing factors on the housing satisfaction were perceived economic status. Housing satisfaction was higher, the better economic level of the aged was, male than female, the less the age was, in case of hot-water usage in bathroom, owner of houses, no difference in floor level, larger storage space of kitchen was. According to the empirical results, we propose the supporting policy of hosing safety for the aged in order to reduce the risk and social cost. Especially the rate of population aging, the aged household, and the detached houses are higher in Jeonbuk rural areas than the other area. Housing facility defects of the elder who lives alone and house aging of theirs are serious level. Local government should have supporting system that considers local difference and characteristics of the aged housing.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.85-91
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• 2018

This is a qualitative research that was carried out to analyze the experience of loneliness of the elderly people living alone using the result of focus group interviews. This study conducted interviews with 28 subjects in the Senior Welfare Center of D city. For the purpose, 28 persons were divided into 5 groups, and interviews were carried out with each group for 50-70 minutes. and the voluntary character of research participation was sufficiently explained. As a result of the research, three topic collections consisting of 'Unavoidable lonesomeness', 'Inevitable death', and 'Acceptance of my life' and seven subjects, which consist of 'Absence of spouse', 'Independence for children', 'Death of neighbor (friend)', 'Fear of death left alone', 'Laying down', 'Taking care of my health', and 'Soothing loneliness in my own way', were derived. The elderly persons living alone who participated in this research expressed their feeling of unavoidable loneliness and their effort to overcome the loneliness. Based on the findings of this research, it is hoped that diverse plans to overcome psychological loneliness of the elderly people living alone will be developed.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.37-44
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• 2006

By 2019, Korea is expected to be an aged society, age group of 65 and older being over 14% of the total population, considering their rapid increase today. The number of the elderly living alone or with his or her spouse will grow more and more. So this study was intended to find out the characters of elderly gathering houses in Japan through case study. The survey was taken by literatures and interview taken from the managers of the houses. It was selected the company which had branched 17 buildings all over the nation. There are three types in units in the building. One is self-supporting life house type. The other is personal care senior house type. Another is complex community house type. And the house have pointed on the participation in community. The company has attached great importance to form the co-operation network with the residents being shared same building. And it has aimed that the residents would feel being alive in their home.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.526-535
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• 2017

This study was conducted to identify the effects of a comprehensive health care program for elderly living alone on blood pressure, fasting glucose, body composition, and depression at a senior welfare center in M city. The study employed a one-group, pre-posttest design. The comprehensive health care program lasted for three months, from March to June in 2015, and consisted of open health education, exercise class, health consulting and personal education, nutritional consultation, and a self-support group. The sample elements of this study were individuals over 65-years-old with hypertension or diabetes mellitus, living near a welfare center in M city. A total of 34 participants were initially selected, but five subjects who were attended less than five times were excluded; therefore, a total of 29 individuals were included. The t-test and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze the data. The characteristics of subjects were 19 male(65.52%) and 10 female(34.48%). The most common age was 70 (16 subjects;55.17%). Additionally, 14 subjects were suffering from hypertension and diabetes mellitus (48.27%), which were occupied in the largest number in this study. The average attendance number of health programs was 10.28 times(${\pm}4.17$). In this study of subjects were significantly lower systolic blood pressure(t=3.275, p=0.004), body weight(t=3.878, p=0.001), depression(t=3.308, p=0.004) compared to pre-test. As the elderly population has increased, the number of individuals living alone has also increased. Accordingly, then need for physical and psycho-social health programs targeting the elderly is greater.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.251-259
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aims to examine the influence of vitamin D and calcium on depression and cognitive function of the elderly living alone in a city. Methods: The participants were registered in eight senior centers in S city and they had lived alone. Data were collected between November 28, 2014 and March 7, 2015. A total of 155 people participated in data collection to measure the serum vitamin D, the serum calcium, depression, and cognitive function. The data were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results: There were significant differences in depression according to gender and perceptions of health status. Depression correlated significantly with the serum calcium and perceptions of health status, and a stepwise regression analysis showed that the perceptions of health status were significant. There were significant differences in cognitive function according to education level and age. Cognitive function correlated significantly with the serum vitamin D and a stepwise regression analysis showed that education level and age were significant. Conclusion: Consequently, elderly people with poor perceptions of their health status need a depressive intervention program and those with a higher age and lower level of education need a cognitive function intervention program.