Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, Pilot Operation of 'Hubulence' Welfare Service for Super-Aged Society

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Samho) has begun a pilot operation of the ‘Hubblance’ service, which will set a new standard for welfare in a super-aged society.

According to Gwangsan-gu on the 12th, ‘Hubblance’ is a compound word of ‘Human’ and ‘Ambulance,’ a ‘health-vulnerable hospital accompaniment’ service for citizens who need to visit hospitals continuously but have difficulty receiving family care.

In April, it was selected as a 2021 National Policy Design support project by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and in May, the National Policy Design Group was launched, conducting policy understanding, in-depth field and user surveys, and idea development.

Through this, Gwangsan-gu established a concrete implementation plan and started the pilot service targeting the permanent rental apartments in Usan-dong from August 26.

So far, five people, including rehabilitation hospital inpatients and elderly living alone, are receiving the service.

Among them, there is a case where a child living in Cheongju requested accompaniment service for their father residing in Gwangju.

Professional managers secured in connection with the Gwangsan Citizen Allowance are deployed during their outpatient visits.

They accompany residents throughout the entire process?from leaving home to traveling to the hospital, arriving at the hospital, receiving treatment, and leaving?providing the help residents need.

The Neulhaengbok Village Health Center, which cares for the health of permanent rental apartment residents, is used as the central base.

The district plans to seek improvement measures together with the National Policy Design Group regarding issues or points for improvement identified through the pilot operation.

The goal is to develop ‘Hubblance’ into a one-stop social service model that encompasses not only simple mobility support but also emotional and informational accompaniment.

In particular, efforts are ongoing to discover and connect various local resources to enhance service quality.

Additionally, by linking with local welfare centers, neighborhood community centers, and care service agencies, additional beneficiaries will be identified, and the pilot service will continue until the end of the year.

A Gwangsan-gu official said, “The pilot operation of ‘Hubblance’ is the starting point for establishing a social care system in preparation for a super-aged society,” adding, “We will strive to settle it as a welfare safety net that cares for residents’ overall lives, such as appropriate hospital use and alleviating isolation.”

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