Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, is taking the lead in nurturing social prescription health activists who will guide the era of 100 years of age without pain and loneliness for the first time in Gwangju.
On the 17th, Gwangsan-gu held the ‘Social Prescription Health Activist Training Education Entrance Ceremony’ on the 7th floor of the district office at Yunsangwon Hall in collaboration with Honam University (President Park Sangcheol).
As one of the key policies of the 8th elected administration, Gwangsan-gu is promoting the ‘100-Year Era Community Healthcare’ project. Last year, it established the ‘Social Prescription Health Management Center’ at Suwan Culture and Sports Center, and based on this, it is creating a preventive health management support system that integrates medical care and caregiving in cooperation with local institutions and organizations.
Social prescription refers to addressing the ‘social causes’ of physical and mental health problems by utilizing various resources such as lifestyle improvement, arts, education, and volunteering beyond medical prescriptions. This training program was launched to cultivate professionals who assist in the implementation and practice of social prescriptions.
About 250 people, including 100 currently active health activists (linked to senior job social service type), Gwangsan-gu’s ‘1313 Neighbors Care’ neighborhood caregivers, social workers, and physical therapists, are participating in the education.
Gwangsan-gu signed a ‘Social Prescription Network Agreement’ with Honam University last November and will operate the education in three courses according to the target groups until October.
Starting with the entrance ceremony on this day, practical training for health activists linked to senior jobs will be conducted four times in total. Basic education to enhance the capabilities of local activists such as neighborhood caregivers and a ‘Health Coaching Practitioner Course’ for welfare and medical professionals will be promoted separately.
Professors from seven departments of Honam University, covering core elements of social prescription such as exercise, nutrition, relationships, and nursing, will directly participate as instructors to enhance the educational effect.
Park Byunggyu, Mayor of Gwangsan-gu, said, “With today’s entrance ceremony, Gwangsan-gu has taken one more step toward the 100-year era where any citizen can live a healthy and autonomous old age in their hometown,” and added, “We will actively support the social prescription health activists participating in the education to become ‘pacemakers’ who help complete the 100-year era without loneliness and pain.”
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