Korean society is aging at a fast rate and the ratio of elderly population is expected to increase by 38.2% in 2050 (Statistics Korea, 2011). The extension of average life expectancy of the elderly generation leads to various problems and the most important issue is the mental health of the elderly. The suicide rate of the elderly is increasing every year and is the highest rate among OECD nations (OECD, 2014). The primary reason for the rapidly increasing suicide rate is psychological hardship caused by personal, social, and environmental factors such as a generation gap from nuclearization, decreased social position, retirement, economic hardship, spousal bereavement, and separation. The importance of education to improve quality of life through the mental stability of the elderly generation is emphasized. Continued education has a positive effect on the physical, social, and psychological health of the elderly generation (Kim, 2011), successful aging (Jee, 2010), and quality of life (Kim &An, 2008). Arts and crafts education can achieve development in visual perception, sense of touch, and continued elderly education (Mo, 2011). Arts and crafts education improves accomplishments and creative thinking ability through analogue behavior of making by hand.

This study conducted 12 hours of education for 3 days from 1pm to 5 pm at 1 week intervals on 5 elderly women between 55 and 70 years of age to investigate physical and psychological effects on elderly women through natural wool craft activity. Before the education, the anxiety degree of subjects of the past week was measured with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to verify the effect of sensibility education by conducting electroencephalogram(EEG) and PortaLite before after conducting education on subjects.

As a result of analyzing the before and after numerical mean value through brainwave test, the increasing phenomenon of an alpha waves appeared and showed that the psychology of subjects is stable and secure. The result of this study showed that wool craft education decreased anxiety, increased alpha waves and improved the psychological stability of elderly women.

• Eunhye Kim(Pusan National University)
• Youngsuk Kwon(Pusan National University)