Oh Se-hoon Inspects Operation Status of 'Seoul Dementia Safety Center' on Dementia Overcoming Day

Ahead of Chuseok, Visit 'Jeontong Market' to Check Holiday Prices

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will visit the Yongsan-gu Dementia Safety Center on the morning of the 17th, ahead of Dementia Overcoming Day on the 21st. He will directly inspect whether Seoul’s dementia management programs are proceeding smoothly amid the COVID-19 situation and encourage the efforts of workers striving to minimize care gaps in dementia management.

Seoul began its community-based ‘dementia management project’ in 2007 by establishing dementia support centers (Dementia Safety Centers) in four districts, and completed the installation of dementia support centers in all 25 autonomous districts by 2009. Seoul’s dementia support centers became the model for nationwide Dementia Safety Centers, which are the core of the government’s ‘National Responsibility for Dementia’ policy announced in 2017, and have since spread across the country.

Recently, cognitive programs incorporating advanced ICT technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) have been operated at the centers to improve the quality of care. Mayor Oh will participate in dementia prevention activities (RealCube game) integrated with ICT technology together with elderly couples with dementia, and join Seoul’s dementia education programs open to all citizens, engaging in video conversations with university students. He will also tour the ICT experience zone facilities.

The ‘Ten Million Citizens Memory Friends’ learn correct knowledge and response methods about dementia and help dementia patients and their families. Any Seoul citizen can become a Memory Friend by completing one hour of training. As of August, there are 170,665 Memory Friends.

In the main conference room, he will observe a woodworking program in which elderly participants are involved. In the broadcasting room, he will connect via video with dementia patients and their families while volunteers visit dementia patients’ homes to conduct cognitive programs.

Additionally, in the afternoon, Mayor Oh will visit the Shin-Young Traditional Market to check on holiday prices and COVID-19 quarantine status, and encourage merchants who are enduring difficult times due to COVID-19.

Mayor Oh will visit various stores selling traditional sweets, fruits, kimchi, dried seafood, chicken, and more within the market, personally experiencing the changed market environment to revitalize the traditional market, which has been stagnant since COVID-19. He will also purchase goods using smartphones and kiosks and observe live commerce broadcasts held at the ‘Haneul Culture Center’ for product sales within the market.

A Seoul city official explained, "Shin-Young Market regularly conducts broadcasts to sell products within the market," adding, "Mayor Oh plans to listen to the difficulties faced by market merchants and urge thorough quarantine activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19."

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