PURPOSE
This study was performed to identify and understand the nature of attitude patterns regarding dying process exhibited in the elderly persons who lived in the community setting.
METHOD
Q methodology was applied. Ten elderly were selected from the senior centers and requested to answer open ended questions by using written questionnaires. Additionally, 12 other elderly from different senior centers were interviewed in depth, and their statements were recorded via voice pen by researchers to derive Q-population. From the 120 Q-population, 33 Q-sample were selected. 22 P-sample were rated by 1 to 9 point scale respectively for Q-sorting. For Q-type analysis, pc QUNAL was used.
RESULT
Three types of attitude patterns were identified, which were valuing dignity, seeking provision of nature, and avoiding of dying process.
CONCLUSION
The significance of this study is as follows : Discovery of 3 attitude patterns of elderly toward dying, better understanding about elderly's perspectives for favorable dying, and informations for possible development of nursing strategies for elderly who is facing death.

This Qualitative nursing research used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to discover meaning in an self-transcendence experience. The ultimate aim of the inquiry was to discover the essence of self-transcendence experience and to promote understanding. The study used van Manen's Methodology of phenmonological research. Multiple strategies for data collecting were utilized: in depth face-to-face interview and analysis of elders' literature. The following themes of experience emerged: Accepting becoming older as a natural phenomenon, transferring to one's own sons' and daughters' oriented life. Maintaining harmonious relationship with neighbors and peer, observing real situations with silence, forming internal integrity with perseverance, compromising own's real situation, actualizing one's death, giving up roots of life, depending on God and conforming to human limitation. From this study essential themes for understanding self-transcendence experience and needs for continuing inquiry were identified.

This study was designed and undertaken to find out the degree of powerlessness, self-esteem and family support of elderly home residents and to determine the relationship between powerlessness, self-esteem and family support. The data were collected from October 1st to 20th, 1998. The subjects in this study were 271 elderly home residents over the age 60 living in Taejon city. The study tool for measuring powerlessness was developed by S.E.Chung(1998), the other for measuring self-esteem, was a self-esteem scale developed by Rosenberg, and the tool for measuring family support was developed by Choi(1983), Cobb(1976) and Kang(1984). Data were analysed for percentage, mean, t-test, ANOVA and Peason-correlation coefficients using the SPSS program. The results of this study were as follows ; 1. The degree of powerlessness, self-esteem and family support was scored avove the median. 2. The relationship between powerlessness and self-esteem revealed a no significant inverse correlation, but powerlessness and family support, showed a significant inverse correlation, and self-esteem and family support, registered a very statistically significant correlation. 3. The general characteristics showing the differences of the elderly' powerlessness were sex, one' s health of state compared to other elderly' and living expense load. These yielded statistically very significant results. 4. The general characteristics showing the differences of the elderly' self-esteem were sex, state of ownership of a house, age, religion, one's health of state compared to other elderly'. Among these, sex and state of ownership of a house revealed statistically very significant differences, also age, religion and one's health of state produced statistically significant differences. 5. The general characteristics showing the differences of the elderly' family support were sex, state of ownership of a house, having some diagnosed diseases or not and one's health of state compared to other elderly' health. These also showed statistically significant differences. In conclusion, the factors influencing the elderly' powerlessness, self-esteem and family support generally were age, sex, their economic independence and health of state(which included especially having a diagnosed disease). Also, the family support was needed to reduce their powerlessness and to have their self-esteem highly.

This Qualitative nursing research used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to discover meaning in an aging experience. The ultimate aim of the inquiry was to discover the essence of aging experience and to promote understanding. The study used Van Manen's methodology of phenomenological research. Multiple strategies for data collecting were utilized : in depth face-to-face interview & analysis of elder's literature. The following themes of experience emerged : changing of physical shape, being expelled out in the field of life, reformationing of family relationship, rhythmical patterning of life & death, developing of reflective self-consciousness, awareness of self-expansion creatively. From this study essential themes for understanding aging experience, need for continuing inquiry were identified.