"Daejeon City Launches AI Robot Companions to Prevent Solitary Deaths"

This Year’s Plan to Prevent Solitary Deaths
Distribution of 1,000 AI Care Robots
Support for Solitary Death Risk Groups by Life Cycle

Daejeon City will distribute artificial intelligence robots to provide companionship for local groups at risk of solitary death.

On the 12th, Daejeon City announced that this year’s solitary death prevention implementation plan includes ▲forming a task force ▲distributing AI care robots ▲supporting solitary death risk groups by life cycle, and will be carried out accordingly. A total of 47.9 billion KRW is expected to be invested in the implementation plan this year.

First, Daejeon City will distribute a total of 1,000 AI care robots, 200 units per autonomous district, to help alleviate feelings of helplessness and depression among elderly people living alone.

As of 2022, the proportion of single-person households in the Daejeon area is 38.5%, and it is expected to increase sharply in the future. Accordingly, Daejeon City recognizes that solitary death is not limited to old age but is also a problem affecting youth and middle-aged groups. Therefore, it will identify solitary death risk groups by life cycle (youth, middle-aged, elderly) and implement customized service linkage and support projects.

Major new projects this year include ▲a survey on the actual conditions of reclusive loners and research to establish a basic plan ▲youth addiction management projects ▲support projects for youth and older adults ▲expansion of daily care service support for middle-aged people ▲pilot projects for solitary death prevention and management.

In the main projects by life cycle, Daejeon City will promote ▲youth social adaptation support projects ▲youth mental health voucher projects ▲operation of the Integrated Mental Health Promotion Center (Youth Mind Link) ▲operation of the Daejeon Job Cafe to support the emotional and employment needs of youth risk groups.

To support middle-aged risk groups, a full survey linked with welfare blind spot detection systems and resident registration fact-finding investigations will identify solitary death risk groups (middle-aged, housing vulnerable, medically vulnerable single-person households, etc.). Pilot projects for solitary death prevention and management will be promoted, including ▲private cooperation for welfare checks (using ICT) ▲support for improving living environment and lifestyle (providing living coupons, etc.) ▲operation of social network formation programs ▲post-management (organizing belongings, etc.).

For elderly risk groups, care services will be provided through ▲community integrated care projects ▲expansion of AI companion care robot support ▲integrated elderly medical care support projects.

Daejeon City plans to continuously identify solitary death risk groups by training gatekeepers for solitary death prevention such as honorary social welfare officers, care case management support groups Borami, and village welfare activists. At the same time, it will strengthen the public-private cooperation system with dedicated case management personnel assigned to welfare centers in the city, family centers, mental health welfare centers, and integrated care providers.

Min Dong-hee, Director of the Welfare Bureau of Daejeon City, said, “Solitary death is a social problem where people lose their dignity as human beings due to social isolation. Daejeon City will do its best to prevent solitary death by discovering risk groups, strengthening community connections, providing customized support by life cycle, and enhancing case management through the implementation plan.”

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