Changwon Special City, Senior Welfare Policy ... Caring More Carefully for the Elderly

Free City Bus Fare for Seniors Aged 75 and Over
Plans Underway to Establish Dementia Daycare Centers

Mayor Hong Nampyo: "We Will Ensure Welfare for Seniors Is Well Taken Care of by Future Generations"

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam announced on the 26th that it is implementing customized welfare policies for citizens from all walks of life since the launch of the 8th local government and is also preparing detailed plans for elderly welfare policies in response to the aging society.

Recently, while the overall population of Changwon is decreasing due to a decline in births and the youth population, the elderly population aged 65 and over is increasing. As of the end of August, Changwon's elderly population reached 176,604, accounting for 17.4% of the total population. Since entering an aged society at 14.5% in 2020, this proportion has been increasing by about 1% annually.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, is shaking hands with elderly people.

◆ Free city bus fare for seniors aged 75 and over, gradually expanded to those aged 65 by 2026

Changwon City will implement the “Free City Bus Transportation Support Project for Seniors,” a pledge of the 8th local government, starting October 2, the Day of the Elderly. The project was established to guarantee the mobility rights of seniors and enhance transportation welfare. To this end, an ordinance was enacted and a free transportation system was established.

The target group is seniors aged 75 and over (born before October 2, 1948) residing in Changwon, currently estimated at 64,152 people. To use the free city bus service, they must obtain a transportation welfare card from their local eup/myeon/dong administrative welfare center. Using this card, they can ride all city buses in Changwon (regular, direct, village buses) free of charge up to 8 times per month. The card is a rechargeable prepaid card, and if they exceed 8 rides per month, they can recharge it with cash at nearby convenience stores to continue using the bus.

The city has also established a three-step plan to extend benefits to all seniors aged 65 and over. The current phase is the first step (75 and over), the second step (70 and over) will begin in January 2025 covering about 100,000 people, and the third step (65 and over) will start in January 2026, targeting approximately 170,000 people.

◆ Providing “Comfortable living spaces for seniors and customized care services”

Changwon City is also focusing on improving the convenience of use of senior welfare centers (7 locations) and senior citizen centers (1,026 locations), which serve as rest and leisure spaces for seniors and places for neighborly interaction.

In particular, to fulfill the 8th local government pledge of “introducing COVID-19 prevention and odor removal systems in senior centers,” the city replaced air purifier filters in all senior centers last year and plans to pilot the prevention and odor removal system in five senior centers with high usage by the end of this year. This resolves the previous issue where the cost of replacing air purifier filters was not separately budgeted and had to be covered within the senior centers’ operating expenses.

Additionally, the city is promoting projects to build a social safety net to prevent socially isolated seniors with mobility difficulties from being neglected.

Customized care services for seniors are being provided through visits or phone calls to check safety and well-being and assist with meals and cleaning management. Furthermore, AI (Artificial Intelligence) integrated care services using AI speakers and IoT (Internet of Things) sensors are being implemented for single seniors, grandparent-headed households, and elderly couples.

◆ “Jobs are the best welfare” ? Support for senior jobs and social activities

Changwon City is also striving to provide customized jobs reflecting the diverse activity needs of the elderly. The goal is to guarantee income and provide opportunities for social participation for a vibrant and healthy old age.

Four types of jobs are being promoted: public interest type, social service type, market type, and employment referral type. As of the end of last year, 12,832 participants selected for the program have been engaged since January this year through 55 eup/myeon/dong offices and 18 implementing agencies in activities such as local environmental maintenance, school meal assistant projects, and school zone traffic support projects. The number of senior jobs this year increased by 4.8% compared to last year (12,240 jobs), and the related budget rose by 5.7% to 44.2 billion KRW from 41.8 billion KRW last year.

◆ Creating a “Dementia-free” Changwon in the era of 100-year lifespans

According to statistics from the Central Dementia Center, as of 2022, the estimated number of dementia patients aged 65 and over residing in Changwon was close to 15,000. The estimated dementia prevalence rate among the population aged 65 and over is 9%.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, has decided to care for the elderly more attentively and frugally.

In response, Changwon City is promoting integrated dementia management services to prevent dementia, a major challenge of the aging era, and support healthy aging.

First, dementia patients are registered and provided with customized services through one-on-one case management at dementia safety centers in Changwon, Masan, and Jinhae public health centers. Early diagnosis is crucial for dementia, and any citizen aged 60 and over can receive free screening tests by visiting the dementia safety centers. For those with mobility difficulties or who find it hard to visit, specialized public health personnel can conduct screenings by visiting senior centers and households. When diagnosed with dementia and prescribed medication, the city supports up to 30,000 KRW per month for treatment management costs to alleviate the economic burden.

Additionally, services such as pre-registration of fingerprints to prevent missing persons, distribution of wandering recognition tags, provision of care supplies, and self-help groups for families of dementia patients are also provided.

Moreover, the city is planning to build a dementia day care center by 2026 to provide specialized public long-term care services for dementia patients.

◆ Creating 500 park golf holes by 2026 to promote senior recreational sports

At the end of last year, Changwon City established a “Park Golf Master Plan” to expand park golf facilities and ensure efficient operation. With the rapid increase in the senior population participating in recreational sports, demand for park golf has surged, but facilities remain insufficient. The plan addresses the establishment and supply of new park golf courses and future operational directions.

The city plans to create 500 holes by 2026, doubling the current capacity to accommodate 16,000 members, based on an annual expected increase of 2,000 members and various criteria such as location. Furthermore, park golf is expected to develop into a family sport enjoyed by all age groups.

Hong Nampyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, said, “Our seniors have created a great history of success in rural modernization, democratization, and industrialization through their sweat and dedication,” adding, “Future generations will take good care of Changwon’s economy and the welfare of our seniors.”

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