ABSTRACT

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the 24-h daily activities (occupations) of younger and older elderly people by organizing the first occupational network in the field of occupational therapy, and thereby analyzing the 2019 living time survey data of Statistics Korea. Methods: The daily activities (occupations) across a 24-h period included the 24-h daily activities (occupations) of 331 younger and 331 older elderly people in the 2019 living time survey data compiled by Statistics Korea using keyword-based network analysis methods for constructing an occupational network as an indicator of network distribution. The general characteristics were analyzed using SPSS Windows software version 25.0, resulting in a two-sample t-test and technical statistics. Results: Based on a network distribution analysis, the densities of the younger and older elderly people were 0.793 and 0.649, respectively, and the level of inclusiveness was 100%. In addition, the average distance was 1.207 and 1.351, and no isolated nodes appeared. Further, based on a centrality analysis, daily activities (occupations) with high degrees of centrality and closeness centrality were found in socializing (1), sports and outdoor activities (1), media use (1), meal preparation (1), and personal hygiene and grooming (1). In addition, for older elderly people, the factors in order were media use (1), personal hygiene and grooming (1), eating of meals/snacks (1), sleeping (1), and cleaning and organizing (.976). Conclusion: As the significance of this study academically, the 2019 living time survey data were applied using a keyword network analysis method to form an occupational network. By presenting changes in the ranking of activity items between the younger and older elderly groups of people, the difference in work performance was predicted, visually identified, presented, and analyzed under situations in which the younger elderly people are changing into older elderly. The age ranges of the two groups were 65-74 (younger) and 75-99 (older).