• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to find out the preference and the needs of old womens on the life support appliances i.e. medication dispenser, video phone, activity monitor and sleep monitor. The appliances may be improved reflecting the result of the questionnaire asking about the preferred functions and designs. The respondents were 141 female seniors of 65 years and older, living in Ulsan city or Cheongju city, Korea. Following is the list of results. (1) The medication dispenser, responded as highly preferred, met some worries over the troubles by power stoppage especially while one is out, letting her forget the medication time. (2) The video phone was worried over the cases of hearing failure by small sound, and watching failure by weakening sight. (3) The activity monitor, like the medication dispenser, was worried about the troubles while one is out or out of the monitoring scope, its expense, and the privacy, (4) The sleep monitor met the worries over the inadequacy for the sleeping mat on the floor and the emission of electromagnetic waves. (5) The preferred designs were (1) white or red standing medication dispenser, (2) wall-mounted video phone working by voice, (3) metal activity monitor sensor with white or yellow bracelet.