Gyeonggi-do Provides 'Emergency Situation Safety Support' to 360,000 Elderly Living Alone

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province is implementing four major policies to support the safety of elderly people living alone in emergency situations.

As of January this year, the population of elderly people aged 65 and over in the province is 2.13 million, accounting for 15.7% of the total population. Among them, 360,000 people, or 17%, live alone.

Gyeonggi Province provides economically and emotionally vulnerable individuals with ▲ welfare check-ins and daily care services ▲ emergency safety support ▲ customized case management ▲ gap-filling care services in five cities and counties.

First, the number of elderly people receiving customized care services increased from 66,609 last year to 72,404 this year, the number of service providers increased from 113 last year to 116 this year, and the service hours for priority care elderly were extended from a minimum of 16 hours per month to 20 hours.

The target population for the five types of emergency safety assurance services also expanded from 28,503 last year to 38,303 this year, and the number of emergency management personnel who respond immediately to emergencies increased from 103 personnel (34 locations) last year to 118 personnel (36 locations) this year.

In particular, through the Home-based Elderly Support Service Centers, four specialized Gyeonggi Province services are provided: temporary nursing care, therapeutic meals, physical exercise programs, and social relationship formation and activation programs.

Additionally, through the 'Local Customized Gap-filling Care Project,' five cities and counties were selected through a public contest to provide gap services that are difficult to offer under existing welfare systems, including therapeutic meal delivery and vehicle accompaniment services.

The therapeutic meal delivery project, which provides low-sodium and low-sugar meals and side dishes directly to the homes of elderly people who need special diets due to geriatric diseases, discharge from hospital, or periodontal disease, is being carried out in Bucheon, Uijeongbu, and Yangju.

Also, the vehicle and companion helper service project, which assists elderly people with mobility difficulties when they need to visit hospitals or public institutions, is being conducted in Seongnam and Hwaseong cities.

Lee Eun-sook, Director of the Elderly Welfare Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We will provide more meticulous and detailed care for elderly people living alone through high-quality service provision."

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