Songpa-gu to Support Daily Lives of 1,700 Elderly Living Alone This Year

Expansion of 'Customized Care Services for the Elderly' ▲ Extended Service Hours ▲ Increased Workforce and Enhanced Expertise
▲ March Vulnerable Elderly Identification Period for Strengthened Promotion → Applications Available at Community Service Centers

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) is dramatically expanding the ‘Customized Elderly Care Service’ that provides convenience to elderly individuals living alone who need care within the district this year, and is promoting the service by operating a focused discovery and application period for vulnerable seniors throughout March.

The ‘Customized Elderly Care Service’ is a program that supports a comfortable old age by caring for elderly individuals living alone who are financially disadvantaged. Currently, a total of 132 life support workers affiliated with three private implementing organizations in the area (Songpa Senior Welfare Center, Songpa Silbeottturak, Songpa Senior Welfare Center) provide comprehensive care services ranging from safety to social participation and daily life support.

This year, the district plans to raise the target number of beneficiaries to 1,700 and expand the services in various ways. First, the service hours for the priority care group, who need daily support such as household chores and assistance with mobility and activities due to physical functional limitations, will be generously increased from 16 hours to 20 hours per month.

Recruitment of additional personnel and strengthening of expertise will also be carried out in line with the expansion of service hours. To enhance understanding of the extensive welfare system, mandatory training will be subdivided by career level and training hours increased. Through smart education, support will be provided so that elderly recipients can effectively learn how to use unfamiliar smart technologies such as the IoT-based safety management solution for preventing solitary deaths and the AI companion robot ‘Hyosoni’ for psychological support.

Additionally, March will be designated as a focused discovery and application period for vulnerable seniors, with public and private sectors united in promoting the service. The three implementing organizations will actively identify eligible individuals through operating promotional booths and visiting senior centers, while the district and local offices will send guidance letters and text messages to qualified individuals. Separate service information will also be provided to seniors turning 65, 70, and 75 years old.

The ‘Customized Elderly Care Service’ targets seniors who meet income criteria such as new basic livelihood security recipients, low-income elderly living alone receiving living assistance allowances, and basic pension recipients, and who live alone, in grandparent-headed households, or elderly couple households. Once selected, life support workers provide various customized linked services depending on the degree of daily life maintenance and social relationship isolation.

Service applications can be made at the local community service center in the resident’s area. If not selected as a service recipient, the ‘Community Resource Caregivers,’ composed of volunteers from the community service center, provide welfare check-in services, which can be applied for if needed.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “We will carefully attend to everything from daily life support to emotional support for the happy lives of our seniors,” adding, “Consideration for socially vulnerable groups is the starting point of servant administration. We will implement broad and meticulous welfare so that all seniors can enjoy a comfortable old age without being marginalized.”