"Stop Uncomfortable Floor Seating" Gwangsan-gu Supports Dining Tables for Senior Centers

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, is significantly expanding welfare and job projects that support the active and healthy senior life.

First, support for senior centers, which are an important foundation for local senior activities, will be strengthened.

In particular, support will be provided to resolve the inconvenience of 'sitting-style meals' frequently raised by seniors at senior centers.

To this end, the district has allocated 400 million KRW, the largest budget in Gwangju, for senior center equipment support this year.

In the first half of the year, standing tables will be installed in all senior centers in the district that wish to have them, totaling about 390 centers.

The tables can be chosen as fixed or foldable depending on the space of the senior center.

Also, this year, the monthly heating and cooling support for senior centers will be increased from 166,000 KRW to 180,000 KRW.

Meanwhile, the district will continue the 'Unregistered Senior Center' support project, which is the only one initiated by a district in Gwangju. Monthly operating expenses and heating/cooling costs are supported for unregistered senior centers that do not meet criteria such as having 20 or more members as specified in the Senior Welfare Act due to regional conditions.

To activate senior social participation, senior jobs will also be expanded.

This year, 6,607 senior jobs will be operated, an increase of 809 jobs (114% increase) compared to last year.

In particular, new jobs responding to new demands such as 'Senior Elder Abuse Guardians,' 'ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) Carbon Zero Guardians,' and senior center operation assistants have been secured to satisfy seniors' desire to work and support economic activities.

Among them, about 40 senior center operation assistants were selected to help with administrative tasks such as subsidy settlement for senior centers. They will soon be assigned to each senior center.

To promote filial piety culture and create an atmosphere of respect for elders, a 'Longevity Celebration' project will also be promoted.

In the second half of this year, seniors aged 100 or older who have been registered residents for more than three years and currently reside in the district will receive longevity celebration goods worth up to 500,000 KRW once during their birthday month.