Gwanak-gu Supports Hearing Aid Purchase Costs for Low-Income Elderly
Recruiting 27 people on a first-come, first-served basis from August 1... Up to 1.11 million KRW support including hearing aids and initial fitting costs
Hearing aids provided to low-income elderly aged 65 and over with hearing loss who are not registered as hearing disabled
Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) will recruit 27 low-income elderly people on a first-come, first-served basis starting August 1 and support the purchase costs of hearing aids.
In July, the district enacted the ‘Seoul Gwanak-gu Ordinance on Support for Hearing Aid Purchase Costs for the Elderly’ to establish a foundation for supporting hearing aid purchases for low-income elderly who have hearing loss but do not meet the criteria for hearing disability and therefore do not receive government support.
The support amount is up to 1.11 million KRW, including hearing aids and initial fitting costs. The support method is that when the beneficiary gets fitted for hearing aids at a designated company, the district will directly pay the purchase cost to the company.
The eligible recipients are elderly aged 65 or older with hearing loss who have lived in Gwanak-gu for more than one year and belong to basic livelihood security recipients or the lower-income bracket (below 50% of median income). Those registered as hearing disabled and receiving support, or those who have received support from other welfare projects within the last five years, are excluded.
To apply, applicants must consult with the public health center staff by phone to verify eligibility, then be guided to an otolaryngology clinic within the area for examination. Applicants should prepare related documents such as a specialist’s diagnosis, hearing aid prescription, resident registration abstract, and certificate of recipient status, and visit the Gwanak-gu Public Health Center’s Community Health Division to apply.
After document screening, the district will select recipients and provide guidance on hearing aid purchase and support details. For more information, contact the Community Health Division of the public health center.
A district official said, “We hope this project will help alleviate the daily inconveniences of low-income elderly with hearing loss and contribute to improving their quality of life.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
