Dongjak District Opens 'THE Hyodo Care Center' to Bridge Gaps in Long-Term Care Services

Temporary Care Services for Seniors Awaiting Assessment

Dongjak District in Seoul (Mayor Park Ilha) officially opened and began operating the ‘THE Hyodo Care Center’ on November 3, a facility designed for seniors who are waiting for or have not yet received a long-term care grade assessment.

Park Ilha, Mayor of Dongjak District, is giving a greeting speech at the opening ceremony of THE Hyodo Care Center. Provided by Dongjak District.

Previously, seniors who applied for a long-term care grade had to wait two to four weeks for the assessment, during which time they were required to pay the full cost to use a day care center. In addition, existing programs for seniors without a care grade mainly provided home-visit services, which had limitations in terms of facility-based care.

To address this, the district remodeled the second floor (104.22㎡) of the public Songhak Day Care Center to establish the ‘THE Hyodo Care Center’, providing temporary care services that can be used until a long-term care grade is received.

The center features an information desk, community room, and healing space, and is staffed by nine professionals, including social workers, Hyodo long-term care managers, care workers, and Hyodo care helpers. The center is operated by the ‘Korea Evangelical Holiness Church Foundation’, which also manages the Songhak Day Care Center, thereby increasing professionalism and efficiency.

Main services include: ▲daily living support (meal and medication assistance, hygiene management, etc.), ▲physical therapy (infrared, low-frequency, etc.), ▲local community programs (senior parties, commemorative events, etc.), ▲counseling and education for guardians (emergency response, fall prevention, etc.), ▲personalized health consultations, ▲cognitive tests by the Dementia Safety Center, and ▲AI social robot programs.

The center operates on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and can be used up to five times a week in four-hour or eight-hour sessions. Reservations must be made by phone at least one day in advance. The usage fee is 4,100 won for up to four hours and 8,200 won for a full day. Basic livelihood security recipients can use the service for free, while those in the lower-income bracket receive partial discounts. Meal and snack fees of 6,000 won are charged separately.

Once a long-term care grade is determined, the service is automatically terminated and the senior is referred to a long-term care institution. If a grade is not determined after one year, the service is also automatically terminated.

Mayor Park Ilha of Dongjak District stated, “THE Hyodo Care Center is a customized facility designed to fill the care gap for seniors who have not yet received a long-term care grade assessment. We will continue to strengthen a comprehensive welfare system so that seniors can enjoy a more comfortable and respected life.”