The purpose of this study was to investigate the tendency between the health status and depression of the elderly, which is an important part of the quality of life of the elderly, and to investigate the mediating effects of family relationships among...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the tendency between the health status and depression of the elderly, which is an important part of the quality of life of the elderly, and to investigate the mediating effects of family relationships among family members. The analysis data were used for the 13th session of the Korea Welfare Panel. In this study, 1,925 elderly people over 65 years old, who were not single households and had spouses and two or more immediate blood descendants, were selected as participants. As a study, first, the elderly's health status and specific trends of depression were examined. Second, how does the health status of the elderly affect depression? Third, it is to verify whether the family relationship satisfaction mediates the effect on the health status and depression of the elderly.
The results of the study are as follows. First, the subjective health status and depression of the elderly were found to have characteristics and tendencies that are distinguished from other ages. This is consistent with a number of studies. In general, the health status of the elderly was worse with the higher age group, and also increased depression. Second, it was analyzed that the health condition of the elderly directly had a significant effect on depression. Age, gender, religious status, and low-income households were also statistically significant. Third, family relationship satisfaction was found to have a mediating effect on the health status and depression of the elderly. Among sub-variables of family relationship satisfaction, static mediating effects were found in order of family life satisfaction, spouse relationship satisfaction, child relationship satisfaction, and child sibling relationship satisfaction. However, spouse relationship satisfaction was significant in the regression analysis, but was not significant as a result of the validity test.
Based on these findings, the following suggestions were made. First, there should be an active way to improve subjective health conditions taking into account the characteristics of the elderly. To provide relevant information, such as exercise and management methods considering the characteristics of the day, the new and consultative personnel, and simple health and gender. Second, it is necessary to expand the link between preventive management systems and services that can manage the health and depression of the elderly. It is important to prevent chronic and behavioral disorders outside the institutional system from spreading to depression in advance. To this end, programs related to senior citizens or the expansion of care for senior citizens should be carried out through existing infrastructure such as health centers and residents' self-governing centers to identify and manage signs of depression in advance. Third, In conjunction with efforts to maintain and promote the health of the elderly, there should be a multifaceted effort to reduce the depression of the elderly and policy alternatives to the Elderly Health and Welfare System and policy to strengthen family relationships. As an alternative, in the short term, it is necessary to educate and promote the role change and awareness of family relations according to the health status of the elderly in order to improve positive family relations. In the medium and long term, the development of new elderly care welfare services, such as caring agents using welfare facilities in the areas of the elderly outside the institutional system, should be considered.
This study confirmed that the health condition and depression and family relationship of the elderly are having an organic effect on each other and that the synergy effect on depression when the health condition of the elderly and the positive family relationship are together is very great. It is also meaningful that the existing study identified differences by verifying validity status and effectiveness by subdividing the mediated effects of each family member.
Key words: elderly, health, depression, family relationship satisfaction, care