Gangdong-gu Opens Nation's First Dementia Family Support Center

On the 22nd, Gangdong-gu Establishes the Nation’s First Dementia Family Support Center to Fully Support Families of Dementia Patients

Provides Customized Family Services Including Psychological Healing by Professional Staff through a Consignment Agreement with Gangdong Seongsim Hospital

Family Counseling Room

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dementia is not merely a problem of the patient but a social disease that destroys the lives of families, causing ‘family breakdown.’ The cumulative number of registrants at the Gangdong-gu Dementia Safety Center accounts for one-third of residents aged 60 and over in the district, indicating a significant increase in dementia incidence. Consequently, demands for society to take responsibility for caring for dementia patients are also growing.

Reflecting this social atmosphere, Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced plans to establish the nation’s first Dementia Family Support Center on the 22nd to fully support dementia patients and their families.

While several local governments operate facilities for dementia patients, Gangdong-gu is the first in the country to establish a center specifically supporting families of dementia patients.

Located on the 3rd floor at 121 Seongan-ro 3-gil near Gangdong-gu Office, the Dementia Family Support Center is equipped with a program room, caf?-style rest area, and family counseling room. It offers various counseling services for families of dementia patients as well as diverse healing programs such as horticulture, crafts, and art. The center also facilitates self-help groups to promote interaction among dementia patient families, provides dementia education, and supports home care services (including physical activity and daily living assistance, caregiving, etc.) so families can rest comfortably.

Prior to opening, the district signed an agreement with the medical corporation Seongsim Medical Foundation’s Gangdong Seongsim Hospital in November last year. Gangdong Seongsim Hospital will organize professional staff including nurses, occupational therapists, and social workers to manage overall operations after the center opens.

Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “Caring for dementia patients imposes significant restrictions on the daily lives of their families and can even lead to social isolation. Providing vacations and care for dementia families is very important for restoring their lives.” He added, “Through the Dementia Family Support Center, we will do our best to help dementia patients and their families live in harmony with the local community.”

Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Seong-heon) announced on the 20th that the area around 361 Changcheon-dong in the district was finally selected in the ‘2023 Crime Prevention Infrastructure Construction Project’ competition hosted by Seoul City.

The target area includes alleys, dead-end streets, and old houses, with a 19% rate of single female households?the highest in Seodaemun-gu.

It is also close to Donggyo-dong Samgeori, where Yeonhui-ro and Sinchon-ro intersect, resulting in frequent visits by outsiders.

Taking this selection as an opportunity, the district will promote the crime prevention infrastructure construction project from March to December through close consultations with related organizations and local residents.

First, a joint field survey will be conducted with the Seoul Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and Seodaemun Police Station to analyze the physical and environmental factors of the target area. Based on this, customized designs for crime prevention will be developed and implemented.

From the early stages of the project, the district will form a resident council to actively collect opinions, creating a residential environment where people can live safely based on community consensus.

Additionally, performance analysis data will be established for use in future crime prevention projects.

Lee Seong-heon, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “We expect that this environmental improvement project will reduce crime occurrences in the area and enhance living safety.”