Yeongyang-gun Implements Short-Term Care Service Project for Single-Person Household Discharged Patients

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwiyeol] The Community Security Council of Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongbuk (Co-Chairs O Dochang, Kim Gildong) will implement the ‘Yeongyang Value Together Care Project’ from February 1 to December 31, 2023 (until the budget is exhausted) to support the early recovery and community reintegration of discharged patients living alone.

Yeongyang County Office.

This project was prepared to meet the care needs of single-person households due to the increase in single-person households and to develop and promote Yeongyang-gun’s unique visiting health and welfare service project. The support targets are discharged patients who need care among single-person households residing in Yeongyang-gun who have undergone surgery due to fractures or injuries, diseases, or treatment for severe illnesses (including cancer, heart disease, and rare incurable diseases). It also includes households of two or more members composed entirely of persons unable to work (such as elderly couples, severely disabled persons, or households living with minor children), with no age restrictions.

Excluded are long-term care insurance grade holders, priority care groups under elderly customized care services, users of housekeeping and nursing visit support projects, users of veterans’ home welfare services from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, users of disability activity support projects, users of similar services provided by national or local governments, and discharged patients with general illnesses such as colds.

Applications can be made in person or by proxy at the Eup/Myeon Administrative Welfare Center via visit, phone, mail, or fax. Once support eligibility is determined through service consultation, recipients can receive free services such as housekeeping and health support, physical care, and safety management for up to two months, 1 to 3 days per week (2 hours per day). When using the call service, hospital accompaniment services are also available.

Since the project began in April 2022, Mr. Lee (born in 1957) of Yeongyang-eup, who lived with his disabled son and underwent surgery due to a fracture but was unable to perform daily activities after discharge, received help for two months and is now known to be managing daily life well. It is reported that 25 people who were in blind spots of care benefited from the project last year.

Co-Chair O Dochang said, “The county council serves as a hub for public-private cooperation to jointly consider what welfare projects are needed in Yeongyang-gun. Let us carefully look around to see if there are neighbors in difficulty and work together through organic cooperation between the private sector and government to effectively utilize limited welfare resources and eliminate blind spots in care welfare.”