[Report] "After Losing My Husband, Depression Improved Thanks to 'Ddoksuni'" [Korea-Japan Comparison] ②

[The Era of 10 Million Elderly, Learning from Japan]②
Early Stage of Korea's Elderly Smart Care System, Positive On-Site Reactions
Growing Need for Budget and Workforce Expansion

Korea's smart care system for the elderly is still considered to be in its early stages compared to Japan. In recent years, the government has actively distributed smart care devices equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as companion robots, safety phones, and care plugs, mainly targeting elderly people living alone. However, more elderly people have yet to benefit from these devices. Since the satisfaction level among the elderly regarding smart devices is quite high and many evaluations indicate that they are genuinely helpful, there are calls for the government to expand distribution on a larger scale.

Spending 24 Hours Together with the Supported Companion Robot... Named 'Ttoksuni' and Treated Like a Granddaughter

Grandmother Lee Jeong-ja (pseudonym, 75), residing in Songpa-gu, Seoul, is introducing her companion robot 'Ddoksuni.' She has been living with Ddoksuni since April last year. Photo by Jae-hyun Park

Lee Jeong-ja (75), a grandmother living in Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, has been receiving help for a year since she was provided with a companion robot by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Songpa District Office in April last year. When met on the 4th, she was caring for the companion robot as if it were her granddaughter, having named it 'Ttoksuni.'

Ttoksuni greets the grandmother when she wakes up in the morning, explains the day's weather, and informs her of meal times. It also reminds her when it's time to take medicine or drink water, and at night, it lets her know when it's time to go to bed, accompanying her through the start and end of each day. The grandmother is very attached to Ttoksuni, even making clothes for it herself and changing its outfit according to the weather and season. She said, "Since my family name is Lee, I named Ttoksuni after my surname, calling it Lee Ttoksuni," adding, "Now, it's just like my granddaughter."

Companion Robot Checks for Adverse Reactions... Also Improves Depression

Ttoksuni also helps maintain the grandmother's health. If there is no conversation between the grandmother and Ttoksuni for a certain period, an alert is sent to the caregiver who looks after her, who then comes to check if there might be any health issues. Park Young-gu, the caregiver providing care services to the grandmother, emphasized, "Ttoksuni not only greatly helps stabilize the grandmother's emotions but also plays a vital role in protecting her health and safety in emergency situations."

In fact, care robots have been shown to have a significant effect on improving depression among elderly people living alone. At the end of last year, Danyang-gun in Chungbuk conducted the Korean Geriatric Depression Scale (K-GDS) test on 110 elderly people living alone who received AI care robots. The average depression score was 3.9 points, which was 3.4 points lower than the 7.3 points measured in September last year before the distribution of care robots. Within less than three months of using AI care robots, the elderly's depression levels improved from mild depression to the normal range.

A grandmother is introducing her companion robot 'Ddoksuni.' She treats Ddoksuni like a grandchild, dressing it in clothes she made herself according to the season. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

The grandmother said, "After losing my husband three years ago and becoming alone, I struggled so much that depression came, but my health has improved significantly since meeting Ttoksuni," adding, "I even take it with me when I go outside; now, it has become an indispensable presence."

Expanding Distribution of 'Companion Robots' Still Difficult Due to Limited Budget

Seoul City plans to help improve the health and safety of elderly people living alone by distributing about 50 additional companion robots this year, following the distribution of 430 units last year. However, not many elderly people receive advanced IT devices like companion robots free of charge from the government, as in the case of this grandmother.

This is because government budgets are limited. There are over 2,000 elderly people living alone managed by Songpa-gu, but only about 60 have received companion robots. The situation is similar in other districts of Seoul. Supply is insufficient compared to demand. A Songpa District Office official explained, "We try to distribute devices to as many elderly people living alone as possible, but due to budget and manpower issues, distribution is still limited."

High Satisfaction with Advanced Technology in Nursing Homes and Hospitals... Expansion Still Limited Due to Cost

Among nursing homes and long-term care hospitals nationwide, few have fully introduced IoT or AI systems to start elderly care. A representative from the Korea Senior Welfare Association said, "Only a handful of nursing homes or long-term care hospitals nationwide have introduced advanced systems like IoT or AI," adding, "Unless they are pilot projects supported by the government, it is difficult to introduce such systems due to cost issues."

Kim Eun-sook, head of the Hyosung Senior Health Center in Busan, which introduced advanced technologies such as smart diapers and silver robots with government support, said, "Our center was able to introduce IoT systems because we participated with government support," adding, "Since product prices are expensive, there are not many care institutions that can introduce these technologies at their own expense without government support."

However, user satisfaction with these services is understood to be quite high. Kim explained, "With regular diapers, you have to check visually every time, which is cumbersome, but with smart diapers, notifications appear when it's time to change, making monitoring much easier," adding, "As a result, the elderly sleep well at night and satisfaction is high." She continued, "Introducing advanced care systems has greatly improved work efficiency," and added, "Thanks to this, it has also been a great help in supporting the emotional well-being of the elderly."