Bridging the Digital Divide for Information-Disadvantaged Groups such as Seniors and People with Disabilities through Support of Digital Devices and Programs
Various Supports Including Smart Senior Centers, Informatization and AI Robot Education, Braille Printing on Websites, and Distribution of ‘Love PCs’
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is expanding support projects for information-disadvantaged groups and digital vulnerable populations such as seniors and people with disabilities to bridge the digital divide, which has deepened since the outbreak of COVID-19.
The digital support projects include ▲life-oriented smart senior center services ▲informatization education and online/offline digital competency enhancement using robots ▲braille printing service on the website for the visually impaired ▲distribution and maintenance service improvements of digital hardware such as ‘Love PCs’.
The ‘life-oriented smart senior center service’ will be implemented from March at 10 senior centers in the district, marking the first such initiative in Seoul to manage seniors’ health and bridge the digital divide.
The smart senior center service, designed to help seniors become familiar with smart technology in a familiar living space, consists of ▲smart healthcare services that measure health conditions such as blood pressure through facial recognition ▲daily online leisure welfare programs using an online video platform ▲and 12 types of kiosk practice programs.
Efforts are also being intensified to close the digital information gap through education. The informatization education budget is about 300 million KRW, one of the highest among Seoul’s autonomous districts. Free informatization education on the use of smart devices and SNS is provided both online and offline, and ‘real-time sign language simultaneous interpretation’ education is also operated especially for the hearing impaired.
The district currently operates two permanent education centers. Additionally, a permanent education center will be newly established in March at Nangok Regeneration Vitality Center, and weekend informatization education will be promoted through cooperation with Mirim Information Science High School and academic institutions.
To alleviate seniors’ digital resistance, education on using KakaoTalk, navigation apps, and digital crime prevention is conducted using the ‘baby robot Riku,’ which has received great responses from participants, and the education will be further expanded in 2023.
Efforts are also made to improve information accessibility on the Gwanak-gu Office website for the visually impaired. An electronic braille generation solution has been introduced in the website’s category-specific bulletin boards, expected to greatly help in accessing specific information and various district news that are difficult to understand with voice support alone.
In addition, ‘Love PC Sharing’ and ‘On-site Maintenance Service’ are promoted for information-vulnerable groups, refurbishing used PCs for free distribution and providing free A/S for one year to ensure digital vulnerable populations are not left behind.
A district official said, “While digital devices and services have made daily life more convenient, seniors tend to feel alienated and uncomfortable,” adding, “We will continue to expand ‘digital inclusion’ policies so that everyone can enjoy convenient and happy daily lives without digital vulnerability.”
Lee Gijae, Yangcheon-gu Mayor, is visiting a senior center and having a conversation with the elderly.
Yangcheon-gu Operates 10 ‘Yangcheon-type Smart Senior Centers’ Bringing the Digital World to Senior Centers
Secured the Largest Project Budget of About 900 Million KRW among Seoul Autonomous Districts in the Seoul Smart Senior Center Creation Project Competition
Introduction of Kiosks, Smart Farms, Non-face-to-face Video Platforms, and Digital Facility Improvements at 10 Senior Centers
Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) announced that it has been selected for Seoul’s ‘2023 Smart Senior Center Creation Project Competition’ and secured the largest project budget of 917 million KRW among autonomous districts. Starting this year, it plans to build digital systems incorporating IoT and ICT technologies at 10 senior centers, transforming them into smart leisure facilities.
The district will pilot the ‘Smart Senior Center Creation Project’ at 10 open senior centers and provide a smart environment by October, aiming to start operations. The project includes ▲facility environment improvements ▲digital divide education ▲smart leisure and emotional care programs ▲and linking infrastructure such as local medical institutions.
Especially, Yangcheon-gu, selected as a leading model in Seoul for smart health management, plans to provide one-on-one non-face-to-face health consultation services to seniors using local infrastructure. Health measurement devices will be installed to regularly measure and collect health data. Customized consultations with medical staff will also be conducted using a self-developed non-face-to-face video platform.
As part of digital facility environment improvements, digital door locks, air purifiers, and robot vacuum cleaners will be installed in senior centers to remodel them into smart leisure activity spaces considering seniors’ convenience and safety.
To close the digital divide, mobile kiosks will be provided for kiosk experience education directly visiting senior centers. Additionally, smartphone usage and mobile banking education will be conducted to lower the digital barriers for seniors.
Moreover, a self-developed non-face-to-face video platform will offer various remote education programs, and a digital community with local seniors will be formed through video meetings. Program preference survey results using video cameras will be reflected in next year’s operation plans.
For leisure and emotional care, indoor smart farms incorporating IoT technology will be installed. These smart farms, which can remotely control the biological growth environment regardless of external weather, will allow seniors at the centers to harvest ingredients themselves, sharing a healthy food culture and contributing to emotional stability.
Lee Gi-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “We aim to create smart environments at senior centers, which are key leisure facilities for local seniors, to make them digital-friendly spaces,” adding, “We will continue to actively discover and operate diverse senior projects that enrich seniors’ lives so that Yangcheon-gu becomes a city where seniors are happy.”
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