'WITH Corona' Era Elderly Care No Issues... Smart Home Service Praised

Effectiveness of Non-Face-to-Face Care through Smart Home in Gimhae City

An elderly person in Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam is receiving stretching guidance through a smart home service. (Photo by Gimhae-si)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] The smart homes in Gimhae City, Gyeongnam Province, are helping provide non-face-to-face care services in line with the 'with Corona' era.

Since 2019, the city has installed motion detection sensors using IoT technology in the homes of 300 elderly living alone.

This is a smart home pilot project that distributes AI speakers capable of 24-hour emergency response, information provision, and companionship functions.

Based on this, an ICT Care Center was established to support emergency dispatch and individual case management through system monitoring in urgent situations.

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic causing welfare centers and gyms to close, the center operates non-face-to-face programs using the speakers to encourage seniors to engage in cognitive enhancement training, meditation classes, singing lessons, and home training.

In particular, by guiding stretching and muscle strengthening exercises, it promotes home-based workouts to prevent muscle loss in seniors whose activity levels have decreased, playing a significant role in health management.

Kim Tae-moon, Director of the Citizen Welfare Bureau, said, “Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, psychological anxiety and depression among seniors living only at home are increasing, and their physical functions are somewhat declining. We will actively develop intelligent integrated care services utilizing ICT functions to support care services suitable for the with Corona era so that seniors can enjoy a vibrant old age.”