Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is also called as aging related memory damage. Decreased cognitive function due to aging is known to be associated with the frontal lobe. Alpha wave is generated in the dominance in the frontal lobe or a wide range of regions in the brain, it should be doubted that the brain function might be degraded. Objective: To determine the effect of sensory stimulation type on learning and brain activity pattern of elderly persons with MCI. Design: Randomized Controlled Trial (single blind) Methods: Twenty elderly persons aged more than 65 with MCI were randonmized to simultaneous visual/auditory stimulation group (SVASG) and or auditory stimulation group (ASG). Ten peoples were assigned to each group and lectroencephalogram test was performed to individuals. In the electroencephalogram test, electroencephalography of prior to sensory stimulation, and during sensory stimulation were measured to compare brain activity pattern according to the study groups and measurement period. Results: The relative alpha power due to a sensory stimulation type showed that the SVASG significantly decreased in the left frontal lobe and the left parietal lobe statistically compared to those of the ASG while sensory stimulation was given (p<.05). The relative beta power due to a sensory stimulation type showed that the SVASG significantly increased in the left and right frontal lobes, the left and right parietal lobes, and the left temporal lobe statistically compared to those of the ASG while sensory stimulation was given (p<.05). Conclusions: Electroencephalographic analysis showed that the type of sensory stimulation can affect the brain activity pattern. However, the effects were not studied that which brain activity pattern help to improved cognitive function of elderly persons with mild cognitive impairment.

Many studies utilizing dogs, cats, birds, fish, and robotic simulations of animals have tried to ascertain the health benefits of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy in the elderly. Several small unblinded investigations outlined improvements in behavior in demented persons given treatment in the presence of animals. Studies piloting the use of animals in the treatment of depression and schizophrenia have yielded mixed results. Animals may provide intangible benefits to the mental health of older persons, such as relief social isolation and boredom, but these have not been formally studied. Several investigations of the effect of pets on physical health suggest animals can lower blood pressure, and dogwalkers partake in more physical activity. Dog walking, in epidemiological studies and few preliminary trials, is associated with lower complication risk among patients with cardiovascular disease. Pets may also have harms: they may be expensive to care for, and their owners are more likely to fall. Theoretically, zoonotic infections and bites can occur, but how often this occurs in the context of pet ownership or animal-assisted therapy is unknown. Despite the poor methodological quality of pet research after decades of study, pet ownership and animal-assisted therapy are likely to continue due to positive subjective feelings many people have toward animals.

The purpose of the present study is to provide exercises, together with music, that are helpful for elderly people’s balancing ability, and to determine their effects in order to provide data for the promotion of elderly persons’health. Thirty elderly persons were randomly assigned to a balance training group(BTG) of 15 subjects, or a music and balance training group (music therapy + balance training [MTBTG]) of 15 subjects; intervention was implemented three times per week for six weeks. To measure the changes in their balancing ability before and after the experiment, the limit of stability, the“Timed Up and Go”(TUG) test, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were measured. Changes in the limit of stability before and after the experiment were shown to be significant in both the BTG and the MTBTG. Changes in the limit of stability of the right side before and after the experiment showed statistically significant differences between the BTG and the MTBTG. Changes in the TUG test and the BBS before and after the experiment were shown to be statistically significant in both the BTG and the MTBTG. The application of music during balance training thus is considered to have a positive effect on elderly persons’balancing ability.

This study was carried out survey to compare using status of physical therapy for elderly persons between urban and rural area in Honam. There were 16 places consisting of general clinics, departments of family medicine, pain medicine, and orthopedics that run outpatient physical therapy. This study distributed 636 questionnaires in total and collected 400 responses. Regionally, 200 responses out of 311 questionnaires from Gwangju and 200 responses out of 325 questionnaires from Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do were collected. Regionally speaking, Gwangju was 62% while Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do regions were 88%, indicating patients in rural areas employed more public transportation, which was statistically significantly different. There was a difference between urban and rural areas with regard to questions regarding improvement with physical therapy. Factors related to the number of physical therapy visits per week that showed a significant difference between urban and rural areas found by the linear regression analysis result were working hours, whether the patient exercised or not, and pain stress. This result suggest that it is necessary to reduce working hours and pain stress experienced by rural elderlies as well as to encourage regular exercise via national polices.

목적 : 본 연구는 ICF를 기반으로 하여 지역사회 노인들의 신체기능과 활동 및 참여수준을 알아보고, 노인들의신체기능과 활동 및 참여수준과의 관계 및 활동 및 참여수준에 영향을 미치는 요인을 살펴보고자 하였다. 연구방법 : 대상자는 노인복지관을 이용하는 만 65세 이상의 노인 147명을 대상으로 하였다. 연구도구는 대상자들의 신체기능인 우울정도, 인지기능, 운동기능을 알아보기 위해 한국형 노인 우울 검사(Korean Form of Geriatric Depression Scale; KGDS), 한국판 간이 정신 상태 검사(Mini-Mental State Examination-K;MMSE-K), Outpatient Physical Therapy Improvement in Movement Assessment Log(OPTIMAL)를 사용하여 측정하였고, 활동 및 참여는 ICF core set을 이용하여 평가하였다. 결과 : 신체기능 중 우울정도는 147명 중 우울증상이 있는 노인이 60명(40.7%), 인지기능 저하를 보이는 노인이53명(36.1%)이었다. 운동기능은 21개의 항목에 대한 평균 점수가 105점 중 52.17±21.32점으로 어려움을 보였다. 대상자의 활동 및 참여수준은 30항목에 대한 평균 점수가 120점 중 17.95±12.40점으로 경도의 어려움을 보였다. 신체기능 즉 우울정도, 인지기능, 운동기능은 모두 활동 및 참여와 통계적으로 유의한 상관관계를 보였으며, 이 가운데 운동기능과 활동 및 참여와 상관성이 가장 높았다. 신체기능이 활동 및 참여에 미치는 영향은 운동기능이 가장 많은 영향을 미쳤으며, 다음 순으로 인지기능과 우울정도였다. 결론 : 노인들의 다양한 활동과 참여를 향상시키기 위해서는 운동기능의 최대화와 인지장애나 우울의 최소화를 모두 고려하는 작업치료가 필요하다.

The Goal of this study was to assess the effect of aerobic exercise on cognitive function of elderly people. The participants' cognitive functions were measured before exercise. Exercise was practiced three times a week for nine weeks. The aerobic exercises consisted of warm-up exercises for five minutes followed by cycling for 30 minutes. The exercise intensity was set to 65%~75% of the intensity for the maximum heart rate(220-age). The control group did not perform any exercises. The subjects' cognitive functions were measured nine weeks later. In the aerobic exercise group, between before and after the exercises, significant increases appeared in total K-MMSE scores and scores of some sub items comprising memory registration, concentration and calculation abilities but not in other items. In the control group, no significant differences appeared in any items between before and after the experiment. In a comparison between the aerobic exercise group and the control group, significant differences appeared in total K-MMSE scores and scores of two sub items comprising concentration and calculation abilities but not in other items(p<.05). Aerobic exercises were effective in the improvement of cognitive functions and among sub items of cognitive functions, concentration and calculating abilities were improved. Aerobic exercises performed by elderly persons are considered to be effective in improving cognitive functions.

The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop a measurement for assessing risk factors for falling in community-dwelling elderly persons. Rasch analysis and principal component analysis were performed to examine whether items on the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC), assessing self-efficacy, and items on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), assessing balance function, contribute jointly to a unidimensional construct in the elderly. A total of 35 elderly persons (4 men, 31 women) participated. In this study, each item of ABC (16 items) and BBS (14 items) was scored on a 5-point ordinal rating scale from 0 to 4. The initial Rasch and principal component analysis indicated that 3 of the ABC items and 2 of the BBS items were misfit for this study. These 5 items were excluded from further study. After combining ABC and BBS, Rasch and principal component analyses were examined and finally 23 items selected; 12 items from ABC, 11 items from BBS. The 23 combined ABC-BBC items were arranged in order of difficulty. The hardest item was 'walk outside on icy sidewalks' and the easiest item was 'pivot transfer'. Although structural calibration of each 5 rating scale categories was not ordered, the other three essential criteria of Linacre's optimal rating scale were satisfied. Overall, the ABC-BBS showed sound item psychometric properties. Each of the 5 rating scale categories appeared to distinctly identify subjects at different ability levels. The findings of this study support that the new ABC-BBS scale measure balance function and self-efficacy. It will be a clinically useful assessment of risk factors for falling in the elderly. However, the number of subjects was too small to generalize our results. Further study is needed to develop a new assessment considering more risk factors of falling in elderly.

목적: 농촌지역 노인들의 일반적인 특성과 생리학적 특성을 알아보고, 지역사회 노인중심의 작업치료적인 건강관리 프로그램구성을 위한 방향 및 기초자료를 제시하고자 한다. 연구방법 : 2006년 9월 14일부터 2006년 11월 23일까지 논산지역 5곳 경로당을 이용하는 노인 166명을 임의추출하였다. 자료 수집은 하지근력과 기능적 이동, 균형능력을 측정하였으며, InBody 720을 이용하여 비만도를 측정하였다. 자료 분석은 SPSS win 12.0을 이용하였다. 결과 : 노인의 근력과 균형능력에서는 남성이 여성보다, 비만도에서는 여성이 남성보다 통계적으로 유의하게 높았다. 연령이 높을수록 근력, 균형능력, 기능적 이동능력은 저하되었고, 비만도에서 BMI 지수는 유의하게 낮았다. 기능적 이동은 비만정도와 상관성이 없고, 팔 뻗기, 한발로 서기의 균형능력은 복부비만과 유의한 상관관계를 보였다. 결론 : 농촌지역 노인들에게 낙상예방을 위한 지역사회중심 작업치료가 필요하며, 균형능력을 증진시키기 위한 작업이나 활동의 선택은 성별과 연령에 따른 비만도가 고려되어야 한다.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of group therapeutic exercise programs on the cognitive function, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and balance-performing ability in older adults. Fifteen community-dwelling subjects (mean age 73.7 yrs, standard deviation 2.4) participated in this study. An 8-week group therapeutic exercise program, including strengthening and balance training, breathing and gait exercise, and recreation, consisted of activities related to daily living. The Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean (MMSE-K), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Reaching Test (FRT), and Timed Up & Go (TUG) test were measured during pre-exercise and post-exercise points. The results of this study were as follows: 1. After eight weeks, the MMSE-K and MBI total score was more significantly increased for post-exercise tests than pre-exercise tests (respectively, p<.05, p<.01). 2. Of the MBI contents, personal hygiene, dressing, ambulation, and chair/bed transfers scores were significant increased for post-exercise tests. 3. Post exercise BBS, FRT, and TUG scores were higher than the pre-exercise scores. The difference was statistically significant (respectively, p<.05, p<.05, p<.01). These findings suggest that group therapeutic exercise can be used to improve the cognitive function, ADL, and balance-performing ability in elderly persons.