"With One in Four Residents Seniors, Gwangju Dong-gu Builds Multidimensional Welfare System for Care and Economic Support"

Preventing isolation by revitalizing senior leisure and cultural activities
Expanding communication through free meals at senior centers three times a week

Exterior view of Gwangju Dong-gu Office.

In response to having entered a super-aged society, with seniors accounting for 24.8% of the population, Gwangju Dong-gu has made senior welfare a core priority of district administration and is focusing on implementing a comprehensive senior policy centered on emotional stability, job support, and stronger welfare policies. The district views its high proportion of elderly residents both as a challenge and as a new opportunity, and plans to build a multidimensional welfare system that goes beyond simple care to support the restoration of self-esteem, social participation, and economic activity.

According to Dong-gu on February 23, 2026, the three key tasks it is especially prioritizing this year are: (1) revitalizing leisure and cultural activities for seniors; (2) operating senior centers as places of rest and enjoyment where happiness stays; and (3) strengthening support for the operation of senior welfare facilities to ensure a stable old age.

Dong-gu plans to operate a variety of leisure and cultural programs for 450 seniors aged 65 or older, in order to guarantee their right to enjoy culture and to prevent social isolation.

Representative programs include “Baeknyeon Club,” a lifelong hobby and learning group tailored to the era of living to 100; “Classic Movie Theater,” where participants watch both classic and recent films together; and “Singing Class,” which helps relieve stress and promote emotional exchange through music. In addition, the district will operate music programs such as ocarina, ukulele, and harmonica; health programs such as “Good Morning Vitality Exercise” and yoga; and artistic activities such as watercolor painting, knitting, calligraphy, and lettering, thereby helping seniors restore self-esteem and achieve emotional stability.

Furthermore, the district will expand practical, daily-life-oriented programs such as smartphone-use education, coffee barista training, and ground golf, in order to close the digital gap and strengthen practical skills that are useful in everyday life. Dong-gu plans to develop these programs into self-sustaining leisure communities so that relationships that begin through learning do not end as one-off encounters, but can continue as sustainable communities.

127 senior centers, free meals three times a week... Strengthening their role as village platforms

Dong-gu operates senior centers not just as simple shelters, but as “village platforms” that combine meals, care, and culture. This year, 127 senior centers in the district will provide free meals three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, through December.

Through this, the district intends to support stable meals for seniors, while at the same time alleviating feelings of loneliness and depression and expanding communication among neighbors through the process of eating together.

In the summer, air conditioners and air purifiers will be cleaned and inspected to maintain a pleasant environment. In addition, the district will establish a multi-layered safety inspection system that includes in-house inspections, professional inspections in connection with the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, and ongoing monitoring by participants in senior employment programs, so that even minor risk factors are managed preemptively.

To support a stable old age, the district will also strengthen safety management, guidance, and inspections of senior welfare facilities, as well as the designation and management of long-term care institutions. It will prevent disasters and accidents through regular inspections and emergency repairs, and will establish a meticulous management system by improving safety manuals and providing training for staff.

In particular, the district plans to implement a “Human Rights Guardians” project for senior care facilities to proactively prevent elder abuse and to create a safe facility environment where human rights are protected. For long-term care institutions, the district will thoroughly verify whether they meet designation criteria, and will simultaneously conduct service-quality monitoring and provide staff training and consulting, thereby further enhancing the professionalism and reliability of care services.

Advancing customized care and newly introducing short-term intensive services for discharged patients

The district will also substantially reinforce existing policies. The customized care service for seniors living alone will be advanced into a more sophisticated management system tailored to the characteristics of each beneficiary.

The “short-term intensive service for discharged patients,” introduced for the first time this year, is designed to minimize care gaps that may occur when seniors return home after being discharged from hospital. Through this program, the district will help seniors who need caregiving support return stably to their daily lives.

In addition, through an emergency safety and security service utilizing ICT technology, the district will install emergency call devices, fire detectors, and activity sensors, and will operate an emergency response system that is quickly linked to 119 in the event of a crisis. By expanding equipment and strengthening monitoring, the district plans to build an even tighter local safety net.

A Dong-gu official said, “Senior welfare suitable for a super-aged society must be a comprehensive policy that encompasses not only basic care but also leisure, jobs, and a safe living environment,” adding, “We will build a dense safety net so that seniors can be respected within the local community and enjoy a healthy and vibrant old age through a multidimensional welfare system that connects leisure programs, senior centers, and welfare facilities.”