Social frailty affects various aspects of health in community-dwelling older adults. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of social frailty and the significance of its association with South Korean older adults’ health status and life satisfaction. This study involved a secondary data analysis of the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans. From the 10,299 respondents of the survey, 10,081 were selected with no exclusion criteria. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors related to life satisfaction. Compared with the robust and social prefrailty groups, the social frailty group had higher nutritional risk (χ² = 312.161, p = 0.000), depressive symptoms (χ² = 977.587, p = 0.000), cognitive dysfunction (χ² = 25.051, p = 0.000), and lower life satisfaction (F = 1050.272, p = 0.000). The results of multiple linear regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, indicated that social frailty had the strongest negative association with life satisfaction (β = −0.267, p = 0.000). However, cognitive function was significantly positively associated with life satisfaction (β = 0.062, p = 0.000). Social frailty was significantly correlated with physical, psychological, and mental health as well as life satisfaction in community-dwelling older South Koreans. Therefore, accounting for the social aspect of functioning is an essential part of a multidimensional approach to improving health and life satisfaction in communities.

The fall experiences of older adults living alone lead to restrictions in their social participation. This study aimed to examine the factors that influence functional disability in social participation (FSP) among older adults who live alone and have experienced falls. This study used secondary data of 493 older adults living alone who experienced a fall, which were collected from the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Factors, such as old age, sex, economic status, frequency of drinking, and number of acquaintances, significantly related to functional disability in terms of social participation. In addition, poor muscle strength, depression, and cognitive decline comprised predictors of FSP. The findings of this study revealed that it is important to comprehensively evaluate the social participation of older adults who live alone and have experienced falls.

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Functional disability leads to limitations in the older adults’ personal activities and social participation. The purpose of this study was to examine the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health(so called ICF) model in which personal activities and social participation influence functional disability in older adults who live alone and have experienced falls. The study used a secondary data analysis of the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans. A total of 501 study participants met the inclusion criteria. The results of multiple linear regression indicated that gender and the number of acquaintances were significantly related to the functional disability of social participation while overnutrition, depressed symptom and cognitive dysfunction were related to the functional disability of personal activities. Lastly, poor muscle strength, old age and economic status were predictors of the functional disabilities of both personal activities and social participation. The findings of the study revealed that it is important to comprehensively evaluate not only personal activities but also social participation of older adults who live alone and have experienced falls. In addition, the ICF model may be useful in the development of intervention programs for preventing functional disability in the population.

Older adults show a lack of knowledge about dementia, treatments, and management although they are fearful of developing dementia. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 6-week intervention on knowledge, attitude, fear, and prevention behaviors concerning dementia among older adults who resided in community. The study used a pretest-posttest design with nonequivalent control group. A total of 40 participants completed the study. The intervention group showed a significant decrease in the fear of dementia scores compared to the control group after the intervention( p < .05). However, no significant differences were found between the groups with respect to knowledge, attitude toward dementia, and healthy prevention behaviors. The intervention may be effective in decreasing older adults’ negative emotions concerning dementia, particularly, fear. The assessment of the fear toward dementia may help identify individual causes and triggers and provide tailored interventions.

This study examined the week of a 6-session integrated dementia p program on dementia knowledge, attitude toward dementia, fear of dementia, and dementia prevention behaviors among community dwelling elders. Using a nonequivalent control group, pre-posttest design, study participants were recruited from a senior center in Seoul, Korea. A total of 40 participants completed the study while half of them were in the experimental group and another half were in the control group. They completed survey questionnaires before and after the program. The findings showed that the program was effective only to decrease the fear of dementia of the older adults. Knowledge, attitude toward dementia, and healthy behaviors may be difficult to change in a short period of time. However, the integrated dementia prevention program may be effective to decrease negative emotions, particularly, fear toward dementia among older adults. The fear of dementia needs to be further assessed individually in order to identify particular causes and triggers and provide tailored interventions.

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