Home Care Service Selected for Two Consecutive Years in Public Contest: Providing Regular Cleaning, Disinfection, and Minor Home Repairs for Vulnerable Groups, Not Just One-Time Cleaning
Expanding iHome Construction Project and Smart Home Services for Disabled, Now Supporting Developmental Disabilities with Enhanced Emotional Support and Safety Features
Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) has secured a total project budget of 80 million KRW after two projects, ‘I-Home Construction’ and ‘Homecare Service,’ were selected in the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s support program for the socially vulnerable.
Selected for the second consecutive year, the proven effective ‘Homecare Service’
The ‘Homecare Service’ is a Gangnam-gu specialized project that visits households with physical difficulties or financial constraints that make housing management challenging, providing cleaning, disinfection, minor home repairs, and cleaning for hoarding disorder homes. This project focuses on the aging low-income population and the difficulty of repairing permanent rental housing. Moving beyond one-time house cleaning, the service has been significantly revamped into regular housing environment improvements, receiving strong positive responses from residents. It offers monthly regular cleaning and disinfection, wallpaper, flooring, and screen door replacement, as well as repairs for sinks and balconies.
Following last year, the project was again selected this year, recognizing its effectiveness. In last year’s program evaluation, it was praised as an excellent autonomous district project with proven practical effects. It was also highly evaluated for redesigning the project from the perspective of the vulnerable to solve residents’ problems, winning the Minister of Health and Welfare Award at the 2023 Regional Welfare Best Practice Contest.
The district plans to support approximately 250 households with 1,010 cases this year. To meet the increasing demand each year, the district allocated 144 million KRW in its budget, and the 30 million KRW secured this time will be used for special cleaning and screen door replacement for hoarding disorder households. Residents in need of the Homecare Service can apply through their local community service center. Afterward, the Gangnam-gu Living Security Committee reviews and selects the recipients. For more details, contact the local community service center or the district office’s Social Security Division.
Supporting a smart life for people with severe disabilities using IoT and AI: ‘I-Home’
The newly launched I-Home construction project this year is an expanded version of the previously implemented ‘Smart Home Project for People with Severe Disabilities,’ aimed at improving customized housing environments for people with disabilities. While the previous project enhanced physical convenience in the housing environment with adjustable furniture (beds, desks, sinks, washbasins, etc.) and smart door locks, I-Home expands the target to include people with developmental disabilities and strengthens emotional empathy and safety by utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
▲Smart home cameras, IoT fire alarms, and smart leak detection sensors that detect safety accidents in real time ▲Smart pillboxes that remind users to take medication hourly ▲Care AI robots operated with content specialized for people with developmental disabilities ▲Care vests that inflate with air to gently wrap the body, alleviating anxiety and abnormal behaviors in people with developmental disabilities, among many other new smart devices will be introduced to enhance the convenience of daily life for people with disabilities.
This project supports households with disabilities whose income is within 120% of the median income. The district has allocated 250 million KRW for the project and secured an additional 50 million KRW through this selection, planning to improve the housing environment for 182 households. Residents interested in smart devices for people with disabilities can experience the devices at the ‘SarangIn’ smart experience center located on the 5th floor of the Gangnam Saeum Welfare Center. For detailed information and applications, contact the district office’s Disability Welfare Division or the Gangnam Saeum Welfare Center.
Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “Through the selection in this support program, we can expand the projects we have been implementing to support socially vulnerable groups. We will continue to carefully observe and support the difficulties of vulnerable groups and create a Gangnam that walks together with the socially disadvantaged.”
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