Seongdong-gu Operates Dementia Safety Taxi to Establish Safety System for Elderly with Dementia

Last month, an MOU was signed with five taxi companies in the Dementia Safe Village area to establish a network for the safety of elderly dementia patients... From last year's Dementia Safe Franchise stores to this year's Dementia Safe Taxi, a community-wide system for immediate response upon detecting dementia patients

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) signed a 'Dementia Safety Taxi Business Agreement' last month with five taxi companies in the area to strengthen the establishment of a local network for the safety of elderly dementia patients through the operation of dementia safety taxis.

The agreement mainly involves making emergency contacts when dementia patients are found in the area and includes education for taxi drivers on how to identify elderly dementia patients and specific response measures accordingly.

In addition, taxi drivers will undergo dementia tests to proactively check mental health through mutual cooperation, and dementia safety taxi stickers equipped with QR codes will be attached inside taxis to actively promote dementia prevention projects to users.

Since 2018, the district designated 'Geumho 2.3 ga-dong' as the first dementia safety village, and last year, 'Seongsu 1-ga 2-dong' as the second. After signing business agreements with related organizations composed of community center heads and senior welfare center directors, regular operation committee meetings are held to find ways for dementia patients and their families to live daily lives safely and independently.

In particular, following the 'Dementia Safety Village Agreement Ceremony' in Seongsu 1-ga 2-dong last year, 14 stores including banks and pharmacies were designated as dementia safety affiliated stores, establishing a local network. There was a case where a dementia safety affiliated store member immediately reported an elderly person who had lost their way and entered a store, safely guiding them back to their family.

According to the district official, through this 'Dementia Safety Taxi' agreement, a mobile network will be established via taxi drivers who travel to many places, enabling immediate connection of wandering elderly to related organizations.

Furthermore, since July last year, the district has been conducting Chinese character classes for elderly with mild cognitive impairment, and on the 18th of this month, 29 elderly people will challenge the Level 8 Chinese Character Proficiency Test, demonstrating various efforts to promote social participation and cognitive activities for elderly dementia patients.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Protecting socially vulnerable groups requires the whole community to work together,” and added, “We will make further efforts to establish a system where the entire local community embraces and cares for elderly dementia patients through public-private cooperation.”