'88 until 99'... Seoul Jung-gu Opens Online Senior Centers

Junggu Health Center and Community Health Leaders Join Forces to Open Online Senior Centers... Conduct Pre-Surveys for Seniors Isolated by Senior Center Closures, Hold Exercise Classes via KakaoTalk Live with Real-Time Interaction

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] "Now~ it's time for stretching. Elders, please bend your waist deeply, but only as much as it doesn't hurt."

On the 17th, Kim Bokrye (female, 59) was demonstrating stretching movements in front of video equipment and talking with the elders at the large auditorium of Yaksu-dong Community Center.

This is through the newly established Jung-gu online senior center earlier this month.

Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seo Yangho) opened an online senior center starting from the 1st to support elders whose outdoor activities have been cut off due to COVID-19. The senior center, operated in the form of a KakaoTalk group chat room, is named "Gugu Palpal Health Baekse," meaning to live healthily up to 99 years old.

The leading role in establishing the online senior center was taken by four resident health leaders, including Kim Bokrye. After completing a 35-hour training program at the Jung-gu Public Health Center, they secured expertise and are active for local residents. Last year, they visited six senior centers including Yaksu and Donghwa-dong, providing free health programs to about 100 elders.

However, as all senior centers closed simultaneously due to COVID-19 this year, they joined forces with the Jung-gu Public Health Center to find new ways to communicate with the elders.

First, they conducted a preliminary phone survey with about 80 elders who participated in last year's health program to identify the types of SNS platforms easily accessible to them. They also checked physical and emotional changes after COVID-19.

Based on this, the KakaoTalk online senior center currently holds live talk health classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 2 p.m. for 30 minutes.

The elders participate in the real-time program, talk with each other, exercise, and take care of their health. Resident Lee (female, 76), a user of the online senior center, said, "I was worried because I had no chance to move after COVID-19, but thanks to this, I hear news from friends and started exercising. I definitely plan to recommend it to my friend living next door."

Jung Ganggyu (68), a health leader and operator of the online senior center, said that although many elders still find real-time broadcasting difficult, participation is about one-third. When social distancing is eased further, they plan to meet elders who are not familiar with using smartphones directly and teach them how to use it. He asked any elders in Jung-gu who want to participate to contact the Yaksu Public Health Center.

Seo Yangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "We established the online senior center to secure the safety of elders while building a two-way communication channel." He added, "We will continue to prepare various programs so that the district and residents, and residents with residents, can communicate smoothly in a non-face-to-face environment."