Eo Yongbo-sa 'Highest Honor' Given by Choi Ho-gwon, Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor: 'Results'?

Achievements of the Past 2 Years and Leap for Tomorrow… Yeongdeungpo-gu Holds Caregiver Family Rest System Performance Sharing Meeting
On the 10th at 3:30 PM, Yeongdeungpo Art Hall Hosts 'Caregiver Family Rest System' Performance Sharing Meeting
A Communication Venue for Sharing Achievements and Improving Next Year's Operation… Presentation of 2 Years of Project Progress and Activity Impressions, Viewing Activity Videos, a Community-Centered Welfare Model Preparing for a Super-Aged Society and Nono Care… Numerous Benchmarking Inquiries from Other Districts

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced on the 10th that it held a performance report meeting for the ‘Caregiver Family Rest System’ at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall, reflecting on the achievements of the past two years and providing a time for communication to improve next year’s operation.

According to the Central Dementia Center of the National Medical Center, the number of dementia patients in South Korea has reached 1 million, and it is projected to surpass 3 million by 2050.

Among these, the ‘Caregiver Family Rest System,’ which the district was the first local government to introduce, has now entered its second year. This support service connects volunteer workers to families of elderly patients suffering from dementia and other geriatric diseases, guaranteeing rest for families burdened with ‘sole caregiving.’ While government support for dementia patients is substantial, attention was drawn to the significant lack of support measures for caregiving families. District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon, who holds a certified caregiver license, initiated this program during the 8th local government administration.

The district encourages the hard work so far and plans to expand the project based on existing achievements by holding a performance sharing meeting at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall on the 10th. The purpose is not only to share past achievements but also to explore development directions and communicate so that it can become a nationwide welfare model.

The performance sharing meeting, starting at 3:30 PM, will proceed in the order of ▲project progress and performance presentation ▲awarding of outstanding care volunteers ▲viewing interview videos of elderly users and their families ▲volunteer group activity impressions ▲and activity videos by neighborhood.

Going forward, the district plans to increase the number of volunteers, supplement any shortcomings, and further improve the quality of service and satisfaction of participating elderly. This includes establishing the ‘2025 Caregiver Family Rest System Plan,’ ▲promoting neighborhood-tailored specialized projects through volunteer group organization ▲strengthening cooperation with workers at elderly welfare facilities for field-customized support of volunteer groups ▲expanding volunteer education, thereby building a sustainable elderly care ecosystem and opening new horizons for senior-to-senior care in a super-aged society.

So far, about 720 volunteers have carried out 1,112 care activities, helping elderly patients regain emotional stability and vitality in life. The satisfaction rate among the elderly reached 91.1%, going beyond simple care to realize the value of ‘care’ centered on the local community, establishing itself as a sustainable welfare model in the aging era.

Care Volunteer Group Healing Education

In particular, as the first local government nationwide to establish its own caregiver system and winning the ‘Excellence Award’ at the 2024 Outstanding Administration and Policy Case Competition, benchmarking inquiries from other local governments are pouring in.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “The system, which started with the hope that happiness would be given to the elderly and rest to caregiving families, has now reached its second year,” adding, “‘The Caregiver Family Rest System’ is a project sowing seeds for a better future. We will systematize the institutional foundation so that this exemplary case, which was pioneered in our district, can become a welfare model for South Korea, allowing all elderly people nationwide to benefit.”