Geumcheon-gu Launches New Concept Career and Academic Support Course 'Urikkiri Learn Class'

[Seoul District News] Geumcheon-gu Holds Small Parent Group Meetings for Parents of Elementary, Middle, and High School Students to Choose Desired Career, Admission, and Learning Topics at Preferred Locations... Gwanak-gu Provides Mindfulness Education to Overcome Post-COVID Symptoms... Songpa-gu Shares Long-term Care Benefit Fraud Cases with Directors and Workers of About 190 Elderly Welfare Facilities... Guro-gu Operates Heat Safety Shelters for Seniors... Gangbuk-gu Runs Long COVID Symptom Counseling Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) has newly established and is operating the career and college admission support course ‘Uri kkiri Learn Class!’ from June, reflecting parents' opinions.

‘Uri kkiri Learn Class!’ is a program where parents with elementary, middle, and high school children form study groups of about 15 people and apply by selecting topics related to career, college admission, and learning that interest them. It is a ‘new concept educational course created directly by the demand side,’ allowing parents to open courses they want to attend.

The lecture topics include ▲Child career design coaching (career design through career diagnostic tests) ▲Child learning habit coaching (management of elementary and middle school learning habits, study methods for school grades and CSAT, etc.) ▲Child college admission design coaching (student record management, analysis of high school and university admission screening, success secrets, etc.) ▲Subject selection and personalized curriculum design in preparation for the high school credit system ▲Humanities, character education, relationships with children, and communication-related education. In addition to these five topics, if parents request other topics, lectures can be opened after prior review of suitability.

Geumcheon-gu held the first lecture on June 8 and 15 at the training and consulting room of Gasan Middle School under the theme ‘Subject selection and personalized curriculum design in preparation for the high school credit system,’ receiving great responses.

A parent who participated in the class said, “It was very helpful for my child's education, and I heard that Geumcheon-gu Office opened a professional qualification course for parents, so I want to participate in that program as well.”

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “With rapid changes in the admission system due to social changes and the introduction of the high school credit system, schools are also changing in ways that make it difficult for students and parents to adapt. We will enhance Geumcheon-gu’s educational competitiveness by supporting career and college admission fields that students and parents desperately need.”

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) conducted mindfulness education for about 120 employees exhausted from COVID-19 response at the Gwanak-gu Office auditorium at 10 a.m. on the 15th.

The district explained that the education was planned to provide an opportunity for stress relief and psychological recharge through a special lecture on mind healing for employees whose bodies and minds have been exhausted due to COVID-19 response for over two years.

The education was led by psychiatrist Moon Yo-han, author of ‘Otium’ (2020, Wisdom House), under the theme ‘My own rest that comforts the exhausted me and gives me the strength to live.’

The main contents focused on ▲Why are we getting exhausted? ▲What is good rest? ▲How to find my own otium, emphasizing ways to improve self-care and quality of rest to prevent burnout and regain vitality in life.

After the lecture, a Q&A session and communication among employees followed, and all participants received a rose as a healing gift.

The district plans to hold a second mind healing special lecture in July for local residents and related institution employees under the theme ‘My own mind healing habits to overcome depression and suicidal thoughts in the post-COVID era.’

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “I hope this special lecture provided a time for recharge to heal the exhausted body and mind of employees suffering from anxiety and stress due to long COVID sequelae. We will continue to create various opportunities to promote mental health for employees and local residents.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) will conduct education on eradicating fraudulent claims on the 17th to reduce false and unfair claims for long-term care benefits.

The long-term care benefit system supports part of the cost of care services for people recognized with long-term care grades by the National Health Insurance Corporation due to senile diseases such as dementia.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s ‘Status of fraudulent claims in elderly long-term care,’ the amount of false and unfair claims for long-term care benefits in elderly welfare facilities has been increasing yearly from 15 billion KRW in 2018 to 21.2 billion KRW in 2019 and 23.3 billion KRW in 2020.

In particular, the district planned this education considering that a significant part of the causes of false and unfair claims is due to not clearly knowing the related regulations or not recognizing violations of related regulations.

Through the education, the district expects to reduce waste of long-term care benefit costs and social costs caused by administrative sanctions by sharing local facility on-site investigation cases with facilities in the area.

Additionally, prevention education related to elder abuse, which has recently emerged as a serious social problem, will be conducted together. The education will emphasize the understanding that elder abuse is not limited to physical violence but also includes exposing the elderly to various risk situations.

The education will be held at 3 p.m. on the 17th at the Songpa-gu Office auditorium for facility directors and workers of about 190 elderly welfare facilities in the area. It will consist of the first session on elder abuse prevention education and the second session on cases of fraudulent claims for long-term care benefits. Experts in related work from the National Health Insurance Corporation and the Eastern Elderly Specialized Care Institution will be invited to conduct practical education focusing on detection cases and sanction notices.

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, emphasized, “Prevention is more important than detection,” and said, “We will continuously conduct education on various elderly issues and policies that may arise in an aging society to create an environment where the elderly can live happily and safely.”

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Seong) is operating a heatwave safety shelter for low-income elderly people until September 30.

Guro-gu announced on the 16th, “Elderly people in vulnerable housing without air conditioning facilities are prone to heat-related illnesses due to heatwaves. We have prepared heatwave safety shelters to provide a comfortable resting place for the elderly.”

The ‘Heatwave Safety Shelter’ is a nighttime shelter prepared for elderly residents aged 65 or older in the area who are basic livelihood security recipients or near-poverty class.

The district secured a total of 50 rooms by signing agreements on the 10th with two local hotels: Cocomo Hotel (Guro 5-dong) and Co-op City Hotel (Oryu 1-dong).

When a heatwave warning is issued, two people can use one room free of charge for one or two nights. One family member registered together on the resident registration certificate can stay in the same room. Accommodation is available on weekdays, and usage time is from 3 p.m. on the check-in day to 11 a.m. on the check-out day.

Applications can be made by contacting the local community service center.

In addition, the district has designated 239 heatwave shelters, including 192 senior centers, 5 welfare centers, 16 community service centers, and 26 Saemaeul Geumgo and bank branches, operating them until September. Anyone can use the heatwave shelters on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, senior centers and welfare centers require completion of the third COVID-19 vaccine dose for use.

Moreover, health management for heatwave-vulnerable groups is supported. Visiting nurses check on the health of elderly living alone, disabled persons, and chronic patients by phone and visits, providing health management education to prevent heat-related illnesses. Activities of elderly customized care service life supporters and welfare planners are strengthened, and cooperation with welfare centers ensures continuous health monitoring of the elderly.

A Guro-gu official said, “We will do our best to ensure residents can spend a safe and healthy summer in a comfortable environment.”

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) is operating a counseling center for patients suffering from long COVID sequelae.

Research on long COVID sequelae shows that at least one out of three COVID-19 confirmed patients experiences sequelae such as breathing difficulties, cognitive impairment, and fatigue for more than a year.

Accordingly, Gangbuk-gu has been operating a long COVID sequelae counseling center since Monday the 13th for residents whose symptoms persist for at least two months after COVID-19 confirmation.

Patients with long COVID sequelae can receive face-to-face consultations with specialists at the counseling center. After consultation, chest X-ray examinations can be performed if necessary, and if further detailed examination is deemed necessary, patients are transferred to the COVID outpatient treatment center located in Gangbuk-gu.

For those experiencing depression due to COVID-19, same-day consultations with mental health counselors are available, and other exercise programs operated by Gangbuk-gu Public Health Center can also be applied for.

The counseling center is located on the first floor of Samgaksan Health Branch Office in Gangbuk-gu (19-gil Samyang-ro 154), operating from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays.

Consultations are by appointment. Residents wishing to consult should contact the Samgaksan Health Branch Office in Gangbuk-gu.

Consultation and treatment are free of charge. However, a small fee may be charged for prescriptions, and costs may occur if treatment is received through linked medical institutions.

Park Gyeom-su, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “I hope this counseling center helps residents suffering from sequelae after COVID-19 to recover their daily lives. We will do our best until the very end for the complete eradication of COVID-19.”