[Seoul District News] Yeongdeungpo-gu Dementia Safety Center Designates and Operates 40 Dementia Safety Franchise Stores & Launches Reusable Cups in Collaboration with Dementia Safety Franchise Store No.1 Cafe ‘Hishi Coffee’... ‘Seocho Safe Village Safe House’ Selected as Excellent Case by Ministry of Health and Welfare, Secures 48.67 Million KRW in National and City Funds... Seodaemun-gu Operates Training Course for Environmental Education Personnel... Gangseo English Library Hosts ‘7th English Storytelling Contest’
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] As the population ages, the number of dementia patients, a representative geriatric disease, is rapidly increasing, making dementia no longer just an individual problem but an issue that society must collectively consider and resolve.
In response, Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) Dementia Safety Center has taken the initiative to spread correct awareness about dementia and create a dementia-friendly social atmosphere. They signed business agreements with local small business stores and designated them as Dementia Safety Franchise Stores to establish a dense dementia safety network within the community.
Dementia Safety Franchise Stores refer to businesses such as restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, and pharmacies commonly used in daily life, whose members have received dementia partner training and actively participate in overcoming dementia in the community.
These businesses support safely returning wandering dementia patients home by contacting the Dementia Safety Center or police station when such patients are found. Based on a correct understanding of dementia, they engage in various activities to improve dementia prevention and awareness among local residents, including delivering dementia-related information and encouraging early screening.
Currently, there are a total of 40 Dementia Safety Franchise Stores designated and operating in Yeongdeungpo-gu.
Additionally, in May, the district launched a reusable cup with the phrase “We are happy because you care for the elderly with dementia” in collaboration with Hishi Coffee, the first designated Dementia Safety Franchise Store cafe, promoting dementia awareness improvement and an eco-friendly campaign. (Photo)
Through this campaign, the district aims to raise interest in dementia while protecting the environment, achieving a twofold effect.
Hishi Coffee stated, “Everyone becomes elderly someday. Dementia is no longer someone else’s problem, and we are grateful that small interest and participation can contribute to the community.”
Dementia Safety Franchise Stores are recruited year-round, and businesses wishing to participate can inquire at the Yeongdeungpo-gu Dementia Safety Center.
Kim Young-in, Director of Health Promotion, said, “We plan to continuously discover Dementia Safety Franchise Stores targeting various businesses frequently used by the elderly,” adding, “We will do our best to create a dementia-friendly Yeongdeungpo-gu where dementia patients, their families, and neighbors can live happily without worry.”
Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced that its project “Seocho Safe House within the Seocho Safe Village” (abbreviated as Seocho Dementia Safe House) was selected in the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s “2022 Dementia Safe Village Best Practice Expansion Contest.”
The district will receive a total of 48.67 million KRW in national and city funds to support the project until the end of the year.
The “Seocho Dementia Safe House” is a customized model house applying over 70 residential environment designs considering the safety and cognitive function improvement of dementia patients, serving as a reference for families with dementia patients when decorating their homes. It was first opened nationwide in 2017 and is currently located within the Seocho-gu Dementia Safety Center in Naegok-dong.
This year, the Ministry of Health and Welfare selected excellent local governments that actively promoted policies to revitalize dementia care services and create dementia-friendly societies by improving dementia awareness and dementia village environments through this contest.
Seocho-gu was recognized for applying the Seocho Dementia Safe House model to homes to help dementia families, who spend more time at home due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, live safely and comfortably in daily life.
The district selected Yangjae 1-dong, which has the highest number of elderly residents aged 65 and over, as the Safe Village and will support daily life within homes using the Dementia Safe House model until the end of the year.
To this end, the district will provide items applying the Safe House model to about 30 dementia patients with severe dementia. Representative items include ▲“Mobile standing support floor safety handrails” that help maintain balance by holding with hands when standing up from a seated position, ▲“Mat-type wandering detectors” that sound alarms when dementia patients go out, and ▲toilet covers in contrasting colors to the toilet bowl.
In addition, the district will promote various projects in Yangjae 1-dong Safe Village to realize a dementia-friendly community. Collaborating with medical institutions, it will provide integrated support including “Dementia Safety Primary Care Physicians” who prevent and manage dementia patients through early detection and depression scale tests for the elderly, ▲“Memory Enhancement School” that prevents dementia through cultural and leisure activities, and ▲resident committees and clubs for dementia awareness improvement.
The district expects this contest project to contribute to realizing a dementia-safe village community by providing safe spaces at home for dementia patients and their families, preventing dementia progression, and strengthening community networks.
Meanwhile, Seocho-gu operates a cognitive screening test incorporating simple electroencephalogram (EEG) tests for residents aged 60 and over at the Seocho Dementia Safety Center, the first nationwide. This test measures EEG waveforms, activation levels of brain regions, and indices of stress, depression, and anxiety free of charge. For those showing signs of brain health deterioration, one-stop services for dementia prevention are provided, including dementia prevention programs and specialist consultations.
Seocho Mayor Jeon Seong-su said, “We will continue to promote various projects that help dementia patients and their families maintain safe and comfortable daily lives and strive to make Seocho a ‘Dementia Safe City.’”
Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Seong-heon) will operate a free training course for environmental education personnel from the 17th to the 19th of this month at the Seodaemun Two-Wheel Environmental Center (111 Hongjecheon-ro).
This program, aimed at promoting environmental education across life cycles and responding to the climate crisis, will involve about 20 participants including residents interested in environmental education and environmental activists.
The training runs for three days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with professional instructors lecturing on topics such as ▲Understanding and teaching methods of environmental education ▲Climate crisis and carbon neutrality ▲Finding environmental education in environmental news ▲Forest and nature play ▲Rebirth of waste boxes.
Seodaemun-gu plans to continue conducting various training programs centered on the Two-Wheel Environmental Center to cultivate and strengthen the capabilities of local environmental education professionals.
A special event showcasing children’s English skills has been prepared.
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) announced that it will hold the “7th English Storytelling Contest” at the Gangseo English Library.
First held in 2016, the English Storytelling Contest is held once a year to motivate children to learn through English reading and speaking and to help them gain confidence and interest in English.
The contest involves reading an English book and summarizing its content and impressions, then presenting it in English within 3 minutes. The evaluation focuses not only on content delivery but also on acting, emotional expression, and confident storytelling using appropriate props.
Any elementary school student in Gangseo-gu can participate individually or as a team. Teams must consist of three or fewer members.
Preliminary participation requires submitting a storytelling video within 3 minutes, presentation materials, script, and application form via email by the 16th.
More detailed information, including application forms, can be found on the “Gangseo-gu Integrated Library Website (Homepage) - Open Space - Notices.”
The district will comprehensively evaluate content, delivery, expressiveness, audience response, and preparedness to select 10 finalists (individuals or teams), with the finals held on September 3rd at the Gangseo English Library.
Winners of the grand prize, excellence award, and merit award (one individual or team each) will receive certificates and plaques from the district mayor.
A district official said, “We hope this contest will be an opportunity to improve children’s English proficiency as well as creativity and social skills,” adding, “We look forward to the interest and participation of future global talents.”
For more information, contact the Gangseo-gu Education Support Division or Gangseo English Library.
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