Seoul Jung-gu, Health Management for Elderly Paper Collectors

Visiting Oral Care, Nutrition Counseling, and Rehabilitation Therapy

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seoyangho) conducted the health support program for elderly waste paper collectors called 'Visiting Health Cart' at Gwanghui-dong Community Center on the 13th.

The 'Visiting Health Cart,' held over three sessions, is part of the 'Visiting Village Doctor System' designed for health-vulnerable groups requiring face-to-face care, as health programs and medical services at public health centers have been indefinitely extended due to COVID-19.

Jung-gu Public Health Center divided the 15 neighborhoods into three zones and sequentially visited community centers starting from July 2, operating the program in three rounds. The participants were elderly waste paper collectors in need of health support.

A multidisciplinary team from the public health center, consisting of experts in health management (Korean medicine doctors, nurses, dental hygienists, nutritionists, physical therapists), visited the community centers to provide customized health care services focusing on four areas for the health-vulnerable elderly waste paper collectors: ▲oral care ▲nutrition counseling ▲rehabilitation therapy ▲Korean medicine treatment.

The oral care team conducted oral examinations for the elderly and provided one-on-one oral health management education, starting from basic tooth brushing to daily care, and linked them to public health centers or hospitals for treatment when necessary.

The nutrition counseling team assessed each individual's nutritional status and guided customized healthy diets according to underlying diseases and health conditions.

Next, the rehabilitation therapy team evaluated the elderly's motor functions and provided personalized exercise methods on the spot. For elderly individuals owning smartphones, they were guided on how to join and use the public health center's online exercise program called 'Smart Home Exercise' to support light exercise and management at home. The Korean medicine treatment team shared tips on smartly getting through the summer and provided health supplements, receiving great responses from participating elderly.

The integrated care team, which oversaw all program operations, adjusted schedules to prevent overlapping visit times to avoid COVID-19 infection and promoted the importance of personal preventive measures, which tend to slacken during the summer.

Seoyangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, said, "Care activities for vulnerable groups requiring face-to-face interaction have been greatly reduced due to COVID-19. We will consider various measures to create a Jung-gu without blind spots in care."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.