Addition of Laundry Service at Gwanak-gu Care SOS Center

One-Stop Service for Large Laundry Items Difficult to Wash at Home: Collection, Washing, Drying, and Delivery... Swift and Proactive Response to Diverse Care Welfare Needs Amid COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) signed a business agreement last month with the Seoul Gwanak Regional Self-Support Center (Project Team: Bongja Laundry) and will additionally implement the Care SOS Laundry Service starting this month.

In response to the increased demand for care due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and various welfare needs, the existing residential convenience service has been expanded to include laundry services, providing a new service that reflects on-site demand.

The laundry service collects, washes, dries, and delivers items such as bedding and curtains that are difficult to wash at home for care service recipients including the elderly, disabled, and middle-aged and older adults (50 years and older) in a one-stop service.

The service fee is calculated based on the volume of laundry, and is provided within the existing annual material cost limit of 100,000 KRW per person under the residential convenience service. The fees are 30,000 KRW for up to 50ℓ, 60,000 KRW for 50~100ℓ, and 90,000 KRW for 100~150ℓ.

In line with the COVID-19 situation, the early-launched Gwanak-gu Care SOS Center has provided a total of about 6,700 comprehensive care consultations and customized care services by August through five fee-based care services (▲temporary home care (housework and nursing) ▲meal provision ▲accompaniment support ▲residential convenience provision ▲short-term facility use) and five non-fee-based mid- to long-term care linkages (▲health support ▲welfare checks ▲care system linkage ▲case management ▲emergency support).

Additionally, in cooperation with large medical institutions, the center is accelerating preparations for rapid and proactive service support projects to eliminate care blind spots by providing hospital accompaniment support and home housework and nursing services for residents expected to face difficulties due to lack of family after discharge.

Elderly, disabled, and middle-aged and older residents (50 years and older) in need of care can apply for services through their local community center’s ‘Care SOS Center,’ and service costs are fully covered if their income level is below 85% of the median income (temporarily up to 100% until December 31).

A district official stated, “We will continue to take the lead in realizing welfare in Gwanak where all residents are happy and enjoy life by establishing a more thorough and proactive local care safety net.”