[Interview] Choi Ho-kwon, Yeongdeungpo District Mayor, "Expecting Nationwide Expansion of 'Caregiver Family Rest System'"

Nickname 'Caregiver District Mayor' - The Only District Mayor in Seoul with a Caregiver Certification... First Local Government in the Nation to Introduce Caregiver Family Rest System, Implemented Since May Last Year... "Hope All Elderly Families Nationwide Benefit from Home Care Expansion"

"With the aging population, the number of dementia patients is also rapidly increasing. The Ministry of Health and Welfare reported that the number of dementia patients exceeded 1 million this year, and the Central Dementia Center predicts that by 2050, more than 3 million people will suffer from dementia. Additionally, 6 out of 10 citizens are either directly caregiving or hiring caregivers, making South Korea, on the brink of a super-aged society, currently known as a 'caregiving hell.'

Since last year, Choi Ho-kwon, the Mayor of Yeongdeungpo District, has been operating the nation’s first 'Caregiver Family Rest System' among local governments nationwide, receiving positive evaluations.

This system connects volunteers to families of elderly patients suffering from dementia and other geriatric diseases, guaranteeing rest for families burdened with sole caregiving and nursing responsibilities. Mayor Choi explained the background of establishing the system: "It is known that dementia patients typically survive for more than 10 years. The pain of dedicated caregivers, who have no nights, weekends, or breaks during the long illness period, is hard to even imagine. As a result, it is common to send patients to nursing homes or hospitals, but the cost burden is high, and above all, elderly patients prefer the familiar and comfortable home environment over the unfamiliar and inconvenient settings of nursing homes or hospitals."

The 'Caregiver Family Rest System' took its first step early last year by recruiting volunteers. Over 720 volunteers applied, more than half of whom hold caregiver certification. After all volunteers completed caregiving service training, they began professional and systematic two-person team volunteer activities in early May last year.

The main activities include: first, using dementia prevention cognitive activity tools to help improve cognitive abilities and slow the progression of dementia; second, assisting with regular strength and rehabilitation exercises to enable outings such as park walks. Additionally, volunteers have provided a total of about 620 services including companionship, meal support, and accompaniment to nearby community centers. Care volunteers are devotedly working for dementia patients and their families, resulting in higher satisfaction levels than other projects.

From October to November last year, the district conducted a satisfaction survey targeting 66 elderly patients and caregivers and 251 volunteers. Among the beneficiaries, 92.4% and among the volunteers, 72.5% responded that they were 'satisfied.' Elderly patients and caregivers reported after using the service: ▲87.9% increase in life vitality ▲81.8% time for family members to rest ▲78.9% reduction in family caregiving burden ▲75.0% improvement in daily living activities. An elderly person in their 80s living in Daerim 3-dong suffers from Parkinson’s disease and early-stage dementia. Their spouse lost over 10 kg in six months due to round-the-clock care. The Daerim 3-dong volunteer group provides care services such as walking, hospital accompaniment, and meal support for two hours every two weeks, allowing the spouse to rest during that time.

In November last year, the district held a performance report meeting for the Caregiver Family Rest System with about 300 participants, including caregiving volunteers and related agency officials. On that day, Mayor Choi said, "My nickname is the Caregiver Mayor. Among the 25 district mayors in Seoul, I am the only one with a caregiver certification. This system was established to provide 'happiness to the elderly and rest to families.' Thanks to you, it was possible to implement this for the first time among local governments nationwide," bowing deeply to the attendees on stage. This expressed his gratitude to the volunteers who willingly participated in the Caregiver Family Rest System.

The Caregiver Family Rest System project was recognized for its achievements and won the 'Excellence Award' at the '2024 Excellent Administrative and Policy Case Selection Contest' on July 12. It received high praise for addressing social problems caused by aging together with residents and creating a Yeongdeungpo-style participatory care environment. Mayor Choi stated, "The burden of caregiving, which has emerged as a serious social issue, cannot be placed solely on individuals. It must be institutionalized at the national or social level. Yeongdeungpo District was the first to try a proactive approach called 'home-based care.' Based on these achievements and experiences, we plan to propose the expansion of the project to Seoul City and the Ministry of Health and Welfare by strengthening volunteer recruitment and diversifying programs."

He added, "Through regional pilot implementation of the policy, I hope the 'Caregiver Family Rest System' will expand nationwide and become a cornerstone of Korea’s care system. The fact that elderly people and their families across the country benefit from Yeongdeungpo District is the true realization of local autonomy."

Finally, Mayor Choi Ho-kwon of Yeongdeungpo District said, "Caregivers are like angels who care for life by moving their whole bodies. I obtained a caregiver certification because I wanted to live a volunteer life as a caregiver after retirement." He urged, "For this system to be stably established, voluntary volunteering by residents is most important. I ask for continued interest and active participation from many residents."