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An exploratory qualitative study on relationships between older people and home care workers in South Korea: the view from family carers and service providers
- Author:
- CHON Yongho
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 35(3), 2015, pp.629-652.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This exploratory qualitative study explores the relationships between older people and home care workers under the new Korean long-term care insurance system. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 family carers and private-sector home care service providers (home care workers and provider managers). The findings show that while the majority of family carers interviewed reported that their relationships were good, the majority of service providers' responses were more negative. Service providers stated that they experienced a number of difficulties that affected their relationships with older clients, including excessive demands or sexual harassment by the older people in their care, exposure to unsafe working environments, and poor treatment in terms of pay and conditions. The findings suggest that stable and good relationships between home care workers and their clients have not been secured in Korea's long-term care system. (Edited publisher abstract)
Effects of home-based stress management training on primary caregivers of elderly people with dementia in South Korea
- Authors:
- LEE Yoon-Ro, SUNG Kyu-taik, KIM Yang-E
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 11(2), March 2012, pp.171-179.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Concern about dementia among families caring for frail elderly is increasing in South Korea but clinical services for caregivers are said to be sparse. This study evaluated home-based stress management training aimed at reducing the physical and psychological vulnerability commonly associated with caring for a dementia sufferer. It used the multiple-method stress management programme developed by Whitney and Rose. The main difference between this and previous studies is that the intervention was implemented through individual counselling and took place in the client’s own home. The advantages are thought to be the ability to focus for longer on individual concerns and the counsellor being more involved with the whole family and able to more accurately gain insight into and analyse the situation. It also acknowledges Korean caregivers’ strong tendency to provide care for elderly people with dementia within the family setting. A total of 30 primary caregivers were recruited to the training programme (mean age 51 years, 10 female, 5 male in the intervention group). The programme included: relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, modelling sequence, and systematic problem solving. The stress level for the experimental group was significantly reduced, family relationships improved and satisfaction with life was greater. The practice implications and cultural relevance of this type of training are discussed.
Mortality in Alzheimer's disease: a comparative prospective Korean study in the community and nursing homes
- Authors:
- SUH Guk-Hee, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(1), January 2005, pp.26-34.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim was to test a hypothesis that Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in nursing homes have higher mortality rate than do AD patients cared for at home and to investigate the predictors of mortality in AD. A total of 252 subjects (107 in the community, 145 in a nursing home) were longitudinally assessed at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Mortality rates between groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank statistics. Relative risks (RRs) were examined by the Cox proportional hazards model. Overall one-year mortality rate in AD was 18.7%. There was no statistically significant difference in AD mortality rates between patients who continued to be cared for at home and AD patients in the nursing home. After controlling for age, group (nursing home or community), severity of dementia, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and vascular risk factors, there remained advanced age [risk ratio (RR) 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.09], advanced Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) stage (RR 1.98; 95% CI 1.41-2.77), longer duration of AD (RR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04-1.10), presence of tactile hallucination (RR 1.74; 95% CI 1.08-2.78), wandering (RR 1.89; 95% CI 1.18-3.02) and depression (RR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02-1.10) as independent predictors of mortality in AD. This may be the first study demonstrating presence of tactile hallucination as a strong predictor of mortality in AD. This study does not support the hypothesis of a higher AD mortality rate in nursing homes.