Under Current Law, 24-Hour Activity Support Suspended → Elderly Care Service Limited to 4 Hours
Demand for Government to Establish Support Basis for Activity Assistants for Elderly Disabled
[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Seoul City announced on the 31st that it will pilot the 'Activity Support Service for Severe Disabled Persons Turning 65' this year, the first of its kind nationwide, to continue providing daily life support such as activity assistance and home bathing to severely disabled elderly individuals who turn 65 this year.
Severely disabled individuals who find it difficult to live alone maintain their daily lives with the help of disability activity support workers for up to 24 hours a day under the 'Disabled Activity Support Act.' However, under current law, once they turn 65, activity support is discontinued, and the 'Long-term Care Insurance Act for the Elderly' applies, limiting them to only 'home care services' for up to 4 hours a day, the same as non-disabled elderly.
Severely disabled persons require more assistance as they age, and especially low-income elderly living alone often lack caregiving family members or the means to hire caregivers or domestic helpers. Despite this, activity support services for severely disabled persons over 65 have not been implemented due to the absence of relevant laws and systems.
In response, Seoul City decided to prioritize the right to life and health of severely disabled elderly individuals and address this care blind spot first, rather than waiting for laws and systems to be established. For those turning 65 this year, they will be allowed to use the 'Disabled Activity Support Service' for the remaining hours provided by the city and district (excluding the national government matching hours, which account for 50%) from their previously received activity support time (up to 24 hours daily, at least 45 hours monthly).
However, service hours may vary slightly depending on the financial conditions of each autonomous district. Also, overlapping application is not allowed; individuals must choose either the Disabled Activity Support Service or the 'Care Service' under the Long-term Care Insurance Act for the Elderly.
The city expects that even excluding the national government matching hours, users of the Disabled Activity Support Service will receive an average of about 11 hours of service daily, which is 7 hours more than the elderly care service limited to 4 hours daily.
Seoul City, together with each autonomous district, will select eligible recipients (those with a comprehensive service support survey X1 score of 360 points or higher, or a recognition score of 400 points or higher) and notify the disabled individuals in advance about their eligibility and service hours.
Additionally, the pilot project will be conducted until the end of this year, while continuously urging the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the overseeing authority, to prepare measures for implementing activity support services for elderly disabled persons aged 65 and over. Considering related legal amendments, Ministry of Health and Welfare guidelines, and other progress, if related budgets are not allocated in next year’s government budget, Seoul City plans to prepare additional measures at the city level.
Kang Byung-ho, Director of Seoul City Welfare Policy Office, said, "We hope this support will serve as a starting point for the national government and other local governments to take greater interest and actively support activity support services for severely disabled elderly persons aged 65 and over."
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