PURPOSE: The South Korean government introduced the universal long-term care insurance program in 2008 that created a new employment category of “paid family-care worker” to assist the elderly with chronic illnesses including dementia. The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of paid family-care workers of people with dementia in South Korea. METHODS: The study was a qualitative research design underpinned by interpretive description principles involving eight paid family-care workers. The participants were recruited by attaching the advertisement flyer in a notice board of an educational facility for paid family-care workers. RESULTS: Paid family-care workers struggled to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of their care recipients. Their workloads created physical, emotional, social, and financial burdens. However, the care-giving activities were encouraged through their sense of responsibility, filial piety, and personal religious beliefs. Financial subsidies from the government and help received from others were also identified as encouragements. The education course provided to them assisted them to improve their dementia-care capabilities. CONCLUSION: Understanding paid family-care workers' lived experience in dementia care in South Korea assists with the identification of their educational needs and level of support they require to improve dementia care in the home care environment. A number of suggestions are made to increase paid family-care workers' knowledge, clinical skills, and job satisfaction to reduce their burdens and work-related incidents, such as challenging behaviors from those being cared for.
Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Clinical Competence ; Dementia* ; Education ; Employment ; Health Personnel ; Home Care Services ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Job Satisfaction ; Korea* ; Long-Term Care ; Qualitative Research ; Religion ; Republic of Korea

OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and localized prostate adenocarcinoma has multiple treatment options. In this study, the objective was to review the outcome of patients that were treated with HDR brachytherapy as monotherapy in all prostate adenocarcinoma patients at the St Luke's Medical Center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty three (33) patients who underwent HDR prostate brachytherapy as monotherapy for prostate adenocarcinoma in a single institution for the past 5 years received 38 Gy in 4 fractions. The charts of these patients were reviewed to determine biochemical control using the Phoenix criteria and ASTRO definition, and toxicity.

RESULTS: Patients showed good biochemical control, with 92.16% meeting the target PSA value of 2 ng/mL or less and a 96.51% without consecutive rise of PSA post brachytherapy. There was also minimal toxicity, with no report of gastrointestinal toxicity and 9.1% rate of temporary genitourinary toxicity.

CONCLUSION: Good biochemical control of prostate adenocarcinoma was achieved with the use of HDR brachytherapy as monotherapy, with a minimal toxicity profile.

Human ; Male ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Brachytherapy ; Adenocarcinoma ; Prostate