Senior Welfare Center Research Articles

A Study on Lighting Environmental Evaluation of Senior Welfare Centers Based on biophilia

A Study on Lighting Environmental Evaluation of Senior Welfare Centers Based on biophilia

A Study on the Architectural Planning of the Space Organization Characteristics in Senior Welfare Center - Focusing on senior welfare center in Chungbuk area -

A Study on the Architectural Planning of the Space Organization Characteristics in Senior Welfare Center - Focusing on senior welfare center in Chungbuk area -

Who Attends the Senior Welfare Centers in Cities

Who Attends the Senior Welfare Centers in Cities

한국어판 ‘인권기반 사회복지실천’ 척도 신뢰도 및 타당도 연구: 노인복지관 사회복지사를 대상으로

한국어판 인권기반 사회복지실천 척도는 사회복지사의 인권기반 실천에 대한 이해와 수행수준을 평가하기 위해서 개발된 도구이다. 자료수집을 위하여 부산광역시 소재 노인복지관 사회복지사 401명을 대상으로 설문조사 하였다. 신뢰도 검증을 위해서 문항분석을, 타당도 검증을 위해서 확인적 요인분석과 수렴타당도, 이해타당도, 판별타당도를 분석하였으며, SPSS 26.0과 AMOS 25.0 통계 프로그램을 활용하였다. 분석결과, 참여, 비차별, 강점관점, 미시·거시 통합, 역량강화, 지역사회·다학제 협력, 행동주의, 책임성 등 8개 요인, 총 42개 문항으로 구성된 한국어판 ‘인권기반 사회복지실천’ 척도의 신뢰도와 타당도가 검증된 것으로 나타났다. 한국어판 ‘인권기반 사회복지실천’ 척도는 노인복지 현장을 인권 패러다임으로 이해하고 평가하는데 유용한 도구 중 하나로 활용될 수 있을 것이다. 사회복지사를 대상으로 하는 인권기반실천 교육, 서비스 이용자와 지역사회 노인의 권리보장 노력에 있어서 본 척도의 활용방안 등을 논의하였다.

An Analysis between Motivation for Participation and leisure satisfaction of Senior Welfare Center Sports Program Participants

An Analysis between Motivation for Participation and leisure satisfaction of Senior Welfare Center Sports Program Participants

Special Considerations in Diabetes Self-Management Education for Older Adults with Diabetes: A Study Focusing on Community Senior Welfare Centers

Optimal diabetes self-management can lead to positive outcomes such as blood glucose control, prevention of diabetes-related complications, and improvement in quality of life. Various strategies have been developed for delivering diabetes self-management education to older adults with diabetes. This paper describes factors that should be considered when planning diabetes self-management education in community senior welfare centers. Diabetes educators should be aware of cognitive changes, such as changes in executive function and cognitive impairment, and health literacy. In addition, physical changes such as vision and hearing impairment and psychosocial changes such as depression should be considered when implementing diabetes self-management education for older adults with diabetes. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Education; Independent living; Self-management

독거노인의 심리사회적 의존과 삶의 질 관계에서 죽음준비의 매개효과

This study intended to identify the mediating effects of death preparation on the relationship between psychosocial dependence and the quality of life among the elderly living alone. Subjects of this study were elderly living alone who were using a senior welfare center and those using a home support service center located in B region. A total of 248 copies of a questionnaire were collected and analyzed. The study results are summarized as follows: First, as a result of analyzing the differences between psychosocial dependence and the quality of life according to personal characteristics, it was found that those who have a higher monthly income on average, own their house, and have no history of hospitalization within the last three months showed a high psychosocial dependence, and those with religion, a higher economic level, and no hospitalization experience showed a higher quality of life. Second, psychosocial dependence had a positive effect on the quality of life and death preparation. Third, death preparation had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between psychosocial dependence and the quality of life. Finally, this study proposed ways to enhance the quality of life by activating death preparation among the elderly living alone.

여성노인의 노쇠정도에 따른 기능체력 및 일상생활수행능력과의 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of frailty on functional fitness and ADL in the elderly.BR Method: The study was conducted on 59 elderly women at senior welfare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The collected data were derived using the SPSS 23 program through technical statistical analysis, one-way analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis.BR Results: As a result of the analysis, the higher the level of senility, the lower the functional stamina, and the higher the level of senility, the lower the ability to perform daily life. The degree of senility was found to have an effect on lower extremity muscle strength and cardiorespiratory endurance among functional physical strength. Therefore, to prevent aging, it was considered that it was necessary to prevent it from middle age and to maintain and improve physical strength.BR Conclusion: This study could be used as basic data when developing a preventive exercise program as well as predicting and evaluating old age. However, since the study was conducted only by elderly women living in the community, it is necessary to expand the size of the sample in the future as the findings are limited to the overall elderly population.

Association of eHealth Use, Literacy, Informational Social Support, and Health-Promoting Behaviors: Mediation of Health Self-Efficacy.

This descriptive, cross-sectional study identified the association of eHealth use, literacy, informational support, and health-promoting behaviors among older adults, as mediated by health self-efficacy. Convenience sampling was conducted at senior welfare centers in Chuncheon, in the Republic of Korea. Data analysis was performed using Pearson’s correlation and via path analyses. The findings showed that eHealth use had an indirect effect on health-promoting behaviors, as mediated by self-efficacy. Informational support was indirectly mediated by self-efficacy and had direct effects upon health-promoting behaviors. eHealth can facilitate self-efficacy and health management, despite not having direct effects upon health-promoting behaviors themselves. Thus, older adults need to be prepared for the increased use of eHealth. In addition, healthcare professionals should support older people in their use of eHealth and encourage informational support through comprehensive interventions so as to facilitate self-efficacy and health behaviors.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults: Its Association with Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Health-Promoting Behavior.

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationships among sociodemographics, health literacy, self-efficacy, social support, health-promoting behavior, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older adults. A total of 240 older adults aged >65 years were recruited from three community senior welfare centers in South Korea. Standardized self-administered questionnaires measuring sociodemographic characteristics, health literacy, social support, self-efficacy, health-promoting behavior, and health-related quality of life were distributed to older adults. Multiple regression analyses with stepwise selection was used to determine the factors affecting health-related quality of life. Factors affecting a higher physical component score of HRQOL were a higher comprehension level of and numeracy in health literacy, physical health-promoting behavior, perceived emotional-informational support, and a lesser number of comorbidities. Factors affecting a higher mental component score of HRQOL were a higher comprehension level of and numeracy in health literacy, self-efficacy, physical health-promoting behavior, perceived emotional-informational support, and a lesser number of comorbidities. To improve HRQOL among older adults, nursing interventions are required to measure health literacy, empower physical health-promoting behavior and self-efficacy, and enhance emotional-informational support from family or other resources.

Caregiving Experience of Elderly Participating in the Project of Elderly Care

Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand the caregiving experience of elderly participating in the project of elderly care by elderly. Methods Data accrued from November 2019 to April 2020 through individual in-depth interviews with eight elderly service providers who have worked at the general senior welfare center from 2 to 6 years. Transcribed data were analyzed using the Colaizzi’s phenomenological six-step method. Results Four categories emerged in this study: opportunity to serve two ends of the project of elderly care by elderly; the weight of difficult care for elderly; relationship sublimated to more than care; and the harmony of life with old age maturity. Conclusion Based on the participants' elderly care experience, efforts are necessary to develop and implement effective strategies for improving workforce allocation, management, education, and awareness of elderly care by elderly. In addition, this study suggests increasing the working capacity of elderly care and the system for elderly care in the community. Furthermore, this study offers important evidence for managing elderly care workers and establishing educational infrastructure. 주요어: ë ¸ì¸, ëŒë´„ì œê³µìž, ì§ˆì ì—°êµ¬ Key Words: Aged, Caregivers, Qualitative research

Physical Intimacy Is an Important Part of Sexual Activities: Korean Older Adults Study

IntroductionSexual activity can be broadly defined to include not only sexual intercourse but also physical intimacy. However, most studies of sexual activity in older adults have a limited focus on sexual intercourse only.AimThe aim was to investigate sexual activities including sexual intercourse and physical intimacy in community-dwelling older Korean adults.MethodsThis study was based on cross-sectional data to measure sexual activities (sexual intercourse and physical intimacy) in 209 participants (100 men and 109 women) aged 65 years or older. Sexual intercourse and physical intimacy were defined as vaginal penetration and as any sexual behavior with sexual arousing (eg, kissing, caressing), respectively. Erectile dysfunction was evaluated by the use of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, and female sexual dysfunction was evaluated by Female Sexual Function Index scores.Main Outcome MeasureTrained interviewers collected the survey information on sexual activities in the last 6 months at the senior welfare center.ResultsThe participants’ mean age was 73.4 ± 4.8 years (men, 74.2 ± 5.0 years; women, 71.6 ± 5.3 years). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 91.0% (91/100), and the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was 96.3% (105/109). In the previous 6 months, 122 participants (58.4%) reported sexual activities, and men reported more sexual activities than women (P = .001). A total of 69.6% of men and 41.9% of women engaged in sexual activity with intercourse, whereas 30.4% of men and 58.1% of women engaged in physical intimacy only. The physical intimacy–only group was more likely to have erectile dysfunction or female sexual dysfunction than the sexual intercourse group (P = .035 and P = .012, respectively).ConclusionsAlthough sexual intercourse is an important part of sexual activity, our study results suggest that physical intimacy is also a considerable component of sexual activity that should not be neglected in older adults, especially in women. Our findings imply that health-care professionals need to consider physical intimacy as part of sexual activity in the assessment of geriatric patients with sexual dysfunction.Chung HS, Kim GH, Shin M-H, et al. Physical Intimacy Is an Important Part of Sexual Activities: Korean Older Adults Study. Sex Med 2020;8:643–649.

User-Dependent Usability and Feasibility of a Swallowing Training mHealth App for Older Adults: Mixed Methods Pilot Study

BackgroundSwallowing difficulties (ie, dysphagia) are common among older adults, with a 13% to 54% prevalence. Adequate interventions to improve the swallowing function of older adults would reduce morbidity and enhance health-related quality of life outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) apps may help alleviate dysphagia symptoms by providing programs that maximize the intensity and frequency of training without requiring high costs or regular clinic visits.ObjectiveThe aim of this pilot study was to assess the usability of swallowing training apps by quantitatively and qualitatively evaluating older adults’ self-reported data, taking into consideration their educational levels and exposure to mobile technology. We conducted surveys and brief interviews while the participants used a swallowing intervention app we developed. We subsequently identified and resolved individual-specific usability issues to improve future implementation of the app protocol for older persons with swallowing difficulties.MethodsA total of 11 participants (10 women, 91%; mean age 75.7 years, SD 3.93) from two district-run senior welfare centers took part in this study. The participants were divided into a high-potential group and a low-potential group based on their total number of years of education and smart device usage. To investigate the usability of the app twice (ie, in the second week of the intervention and the postintervention stage), we used mixed methods consisting of both quantitative approaches, namely the System Usability Scale (SUS) and modified Computer Self-Efficacy Scale (mCSES) surveys, and qualitative approaches (ie, interviews).ResultsThe quantitative results of the SUS and mCSES surveys revealed that the high-potential group was more inclined to adopt and learn new technology than the low-potential group. Specifically, within the high-potential group, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the postintervention mCSES scores (median 65.50) were significantly higher than those in the second week of intervention (median 54.00; z=–2.023, P=.04). Additionally, the usability scores in the low-potential group were within the “marginal acceptability” range even after completion of an 8-week intervention program. Qualitative analyses via semi-structured interviews yielded promising outcomes regarding app acceptability, training program utilization, emotional responses, and learning experience.ConclusionsTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this usability and feasibility study is the first report of a swallowing training app designed to improve the swallowing function of older adults. Future research should consider several issues, such as user characteristics, pretraining education, and the intensity and innate characteristics of the intervention program.

The Effects of Intergenerational Program on Solidarity and Perception to Other Generations in Korea

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the intergenerational cooperation program, which is the Senior Policy Monitoring Group Project, on intergenerational solidarity and perception changes toward other generations in Korea. A one-group pre/post-test design was adopted, and a purposive sampling method was used to recruit participants. Collaboration took place with Seoul Association of Senior Welfare Centers and one university to recruit older and younger participants. A total of 34 older people aged more than 60 years and 19 BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) students aged 20 to 25 completed the study project. Every item on the questionnaire of intergenerational solidarity was compared before and after this project. Based on the pre/post-test results, several items on intergenerational solidarity appeared to have statistically significant differences. Based on the measurement of perception changes toward other generations using a scale, only the positive perception of younger generations toward older people increased, while that of older generations did not. Future research need to design bilateral programs in which various generations are together in equal position with common social issues.

A Study on Core Values Needed to Establish Learning Web for Elderly People in Aging Society

우리나라는 고령사회로의 이행이 빠르게 가속화되는 가운데 노년기의 학습에 대한 개인적, 사회적 관심이 높아지고 있다. 곧 베이버 부머 세대들이 본격적으로 노년세대로 진입하는 등 해가 갈수록 새로운 노인들이 생겨나고 있으나 그에 맞는 교육영역에서의 대응은 여전히 미비하다. 현재의 민간에서 운영되는 노인교실, 노인복지관의 노인대학, 시니어클럽에서 제공되는 직업훈련 및 창업훈련, 중앙정부와 지방정부 차원에서 운영되는 노인인력개발원과 노인취업교육기관들, 일부 노인요양시설들 그리고 대학에서 운영하는 시니어대학 등을 제외하고는 노인을 대상으로 전문적으로 운영하는 교육(프로그램)이 없다. 이러한 상황에서 노인학습자들은 기하급수적으로 증가하는데 비해 공급은 여전히 부족하며 그 마저도 다양한 노인의 요구를 충족시키기에는 어려움이 많다. 이러한 상황에서 노인학습자들의 주체적인 그리고 노인학습자들간의 자발적인 네트워크 기반의 학습이 더 요구된다. 이러한 노인학습망의 조성을 위한 논의는 매우 필요한데 이를 위한 이론적 모형을 제공할 수 있는 것이 Illich의 <학습망>담론이다. 본 연구에서는 국내 노인교육의 공급망 현황을 파악하고 Illich의 학습망 담론은 분석한 후 현장에서 통용가능한 노인학습망 조성을 위한 핵심가치를 논의하여 융합, 연결, 무형식학습, 지역성, 기호망, 존재지향이라는 결과를 도출하였다.The Republic of Korea is rapidly moving into an aging society. Under these circumstances, personal and social interests in learning during the elderly period have been on the rise. The baby-boom generation soon enters the elderly age range, and the number of elderly people keeps rising every year. However, the educational systems for these elderly people are still poor. At present, there are some educational facilities for the aged such as senior classes operated with private funds, elders’ colleges in senior welfare centers, vocational training & startup straining programs at senior clubs, government-run Korea Labor Force Development Institute for the Aged and job training institutes for the aged, some elderly care facilities and senior colleges. Other than the above mentioned, there are no professional educational programs designed for the aged. While the number of elderly learners is rising at a rapid pace, the educational facilities for them are still short. Even the existing facilities are not enough to meet elderly people’s diverse needs. Therefore, there has been a rising demand for learner-led or voluntary network-based learning. In addition, discussion on the establishment of a learning network for the aged is critical. It is Illich’s ‘Learning Web’ theory which can provide a theoretical model for such discussion. This study investigated a current educational network for elderly people in the Republic of Korea and analyzed Illich’s Learning Web. Then, it discussed core values needed to establish a practical learning web for the aged and derived the following results: convergence, connection, informal learning, locality, semiotic net, being orientation.

Health Status and Health Care Service Program Needs of Senior Welfare Center Users

Health Status and Health Care Service Program Needs of Senior Welfare Center Users

Effect of Death Education for the Elderly in the Senior Welfare Center in Seoul

본 연구는 서울시 관내 노인복지관 이용자들을 대상으로 죽음준비교육 중 사전연명의료의향서 및 호스피스 완화의료를 중심으로 한 단회기 교육이 관련 지식, 죽음태도, 죽음불안 및 삶의 의미에 어떤 영향을 미치는지 살펴보는 것을 목적으로 진행되었다. 실험은 서울시 관내 노인복지관을 이용하는 60세 이상 노인들을 대상으로 진행되었으며, 자발적 참여 의사를 밝힌 노인들을 실험집단 30명과 통제집단 24명으로 나누어 사전 검사 실시 후 실험집단을 대상으로 주 1회, 회기당 90분, 총 3회기에 걸쳐 죽음준비교육을 실시하였으며 교육 후 사후 검사를 실시하였다. 그리고 교육 효과의 지속성을 확인하기 위하여 4주 후 다시 추후 검사를 실시하였다. 통제집단은 죽음준비교육이 이루어지지 않았고 실험집단과 동일하게 사후, 추후 검사만을 실시하였다. 연구 결과 죽음준비교육이 사전연명의료의향서 및 호스피스 완화의료에 대한 내용들을 중심으로 단기적으로 이루어질 경우 관련된 지식과 죽음태도, 죽음불안, 삶의 의미에는 유의미한 변화가 없었으며, 통제집단과 비교했을 때도 유의미한 변화는 없었다. 이와 같은 교육은 사전연명의료의향서 및 호스피스 완화의료에 대해 참여자들에게 적절한 정보를 제공하고, 죽음에 대한 태도에 일부 영향을 줄 수 있으나, 죽음불안과 삶의 의미에 영향을 주는데는 한계가 있음을 시사한다. 이상의 결과를 통해 사전연명의료의향서 및 호스피스 완화의료를 중심으로 한 단회기 교육이 노인의 관련 지식 및 죽음불안, 죽음태도, 삶의 의미에 미치는 영향을 알아볼 수 있었으며, 죽음준비교육 진행 시 고려해야 할 구성별, 내용별, 회기별 적절성과 향후 죽음준비교육이 나아가야 할 방향성에 대하여 확인하였다.

Effect of a Comprehensive Health Care Program on Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Body Composition, and Depression in Older Adults Living Alone: A Quasi-Experimental Pretest-Posttest Study.

This study explored the effects of a comprehensive health-care program (CHCP) on blood pressure, blood glucose, body composition, and depression in older adults living alone. We used a quasi-experimental, two-group, pretest–posttest design. The CHCP consisted of open lectures, health counseling, exercise classes, nutrition counseling, and self-help group meetings at a local senior welfare center. Fifty-eight subjects participated in this study, with thirty subjects in the experimental group and twenty-eight subjects in the control group. Data were analyzed by using the descriptive statistics, χ2-test, and t-test. Comparisons of the pretest and posttest systolic blood pressure (t = −2.530, p < 0.016) and blood glucose (t = 3.089, p < 0.004) between the experimental and control groups showed significant differences. In both the experimental (t = 3.949, p < 0.001) and control groups (t = 3.816, p < 0.002), depression symptoms showed a significant decrease posttest, compared with pretest. Our findings infer that older adults require physical and psychosocial health care and that more efforts must be made to improve the general health and well-being of this population group.

Bayesian networks + reinforcement learning: Controlling group emotion from sensory stimuli

As communication technology develops, various sensory stimuli can be collected in service spaces. To enhance the service effectiveness, it is important to determine the optimal stimuli to induce group emotion in the service space to the target emotion. In this paper, we propose a stimuli control system to adjust the group emotion. It is a stand-alone system that can determine optimal stimuli by utility table and modular tree-structured Bayesian networks designed for emotion prediction model proposed in the previous study. To verify the proposed system, we collected data using several scenarios at a kindergarten and a senior welfare center. Each space is equipped with sensors for collection and equipment for controlling stimuli. As a result, the system shows a performance of 78% in the kindergarten and 80% in the senior welfare center. The proposed method shows much better performance than other classification methods with lower complexity. Also, reinforcement learning is applied to improving the accuracy of stimuli decision for a positive effect on system performance.

The factors associated with subjective cognitive decline and cognitive function among older adults.

To explore the risk factors for subjective cognitive decline and cognitive function among older adults in South Korea. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 182 patients was recruited from a senior welfare center in Seoul. The mean age of the participants was 78.4years (SD5.91). Among them, 64.3% were women. The data were collected by a trained research assistant using structured questionnaires from September 2016-February 2017. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, depression, physical and cognitive activity levels, instrumental activities of daily living, subjective cognitive decline, and cognitive function were assessed. Student's t tests, chi-square tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used for statistical analyses. The findings revealed that 37.4% of the participants were not cognitively intact. Depression, perceived health status, and cognitive function were significantly associated with subjective cognitive decline (F=7.10, p<.001, adjusted R2 =25.3). Age, educational level, perceived health status, and subjective cognitive decline were significantly related to cognitive function (F=20.98, p<.001, adjusted R2 =47.0). After controlling for these variables, cognitive activity was significantly and independently related to cognitive function. The results suggest that for the maintenance of cognitive function, cognitive activity should be encouraged. In addition, older adults who complain of subjective cognitive decline and have risk factors such as depression need therapeutic interventions to prevent actual decrease of cognitive function. The present findings advance prior knowledge by considering variables such as physical and cognitive activity levels to provide novel evidence that can be used to develop interventions for community-dwelling older adults. Thus, to be effective, nursing interventions must seek to improve cognitive function through intellectual stimulation.