Guro-gu Significantly Expands IoT-Based 'Safe Care Service for Elderly Living Alone'

Real-time Monitoring of Movement and Pillow Pressure via PC and Mobile... Enables Rapid Response in Emergencies... Service Expanded to Total 450 Households with 315 Added This Year... Safety Devices Installation Completed This Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Seong) is significantly expanding the ‘Safety Care Service for Elderly Living Alone’ project utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT).

Guro-gu announced on the 13th, “Concerns about care gaps for the elderly are increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” and added, “To prevent solitary deaths among the elderly and strengthen safety management, we are expanding the implementation of the ‘Safety Care Service for Elderly Living Alone.’”

The ‘Safety Care Service for Elderly Living Alone’ is a system that allows real-time monitoring of the elderly’s well-being through IoT safety terminals installed in their homes.

It was initiated by Guro-gu in 2018 to establish an elderly care system incorporating advanced technology in response to social changes such as aging and nuclear families.

The safety terminal sensors collect information such as movement, door and refrigerator door openings, pillow pressure, temperature and humidity, and illumination, and transmit it through the IoT network established throughout the district. Guardians and officials from the district office and community service centers can check the information via a dedicated webpage or mobile app.

Accordingly, if there is no movement for a certain period or abnormal signs are detected, immediate contact or visits to the elderly’s home and reporting to 119 can be made for prompt response.

Especially in the COVID-19 era, where social distancing has increased time spent at home and made face-to-face visits difficult, this system is expected to be a more efficient way to check on the elderly’s well-being.

This year, Guro-gu will increase the number of households eligible for the Safety Care Service for Elderly Living Alone from the existing 135 to 450. To this end, in August, an additional 315 households were recruited among elderly living alone aged 65 or older in the area, focusing on the oldest-old, low-income groups, and those with mobility difficulties who require continuous well-being checks.

The district plans to complete the installation of safety terminals in the homes of new recipients within this month.

A Guro-gu official stated, “We are promoting various policies using smart technology to build a social safety net for vulnerable groups,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to create a safe and warm city for everyone.”

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