Ryukyung-gi, Jungnang District Chief, Receives Applause for Expanding Care SOS to 8 Services and 81 Providers

Expanded to 81 Service Providers This Year, Operating 8 Major Care Services Including Temporary Home Care and Meal Support... Elderly, Disabled, and Middle-aged 50+ Basic Livelihood Recipients, Legal Low-income, and Those Below 85% Median Income Can Use Up to 1.58 Million KRW Annually in Emergencies Due to Illness or Accidents

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “I was worried because I had major surgery and had no one to take care of me, but they supported my meals every day and even accompanied me to the bank recently, which made me feel reassured.”

An elderly person living alone in Junghwa-dong, Jungnang-gu, had severe knee pain and found it difficult to move after undergoing artificial joint surgery, but felt helpless as there was no family to care for them.

Fortunately, they are gradually recovering their health by using temporary home care services through the Jungnang Care SOS Center.

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) announced that it has significantly expanded the number of Care SOS Center service providers from 32 to 81 this year to assist residents who find independent daily living difficult due to sudden illness or accidents.

The service targets elderly people, persons with disabilities, and middle-aged adults over 50, providing a total of eight customized care services. This is an increase of four services compared to last year, aiming to build a more comprehensive welfare safety net.

The types of services include ‘temporary home care,’ which involves visiting homes to support daily living; ‘short-term facility care,’ which supports short-term facility admission; ‘meal support,’ which delivers lunchboxes to maintain basic nutrition; and ‘information counseling,’ which offers consultations on care-related issues.

Additionally, in collaboration with the Public Health Center’s Health Care Division, continuous health management is provided through ‘health support’; essential outings such as to banks or hospitals are assisted through ‘accompaniment support’; simple home repairs and maintenance are supported through ‘housing convenience’; and ‘emotional support’ services check on residents’ well-being, offering a variety of care services.

Residents wishing to use these services can contact their local community service center or the 120 Dasan Call Center to receive detailed consultations from care managers. Within an annual usage limit of 1,580,000 KRW per person, basic livelihood security recipients, legally designated low-income groups, and those with median income below 85% can use the services free of charge, while other residents can use them with personal payment.

The district has been implementing care services since the second half of last year and has provided a total of 2,179 care services as of May, receiving great responses from residents.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “We will establish close cooperative relationships with service providers and local medical institutions to provide seamless care services even amid the prolonged COVID-19 situation. Residents in need of assistance should not hesitate to contact the Care SOS Center to receive various supports.”