Yangcheon-gu Provides 50 Silver Cars to Low-Income Elderly with Mobility Difficulties

Priority Review Completed, Delivery Scheduled Within This Month

Yangcheon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) is providing adult walking aids, commonly known as ‘Silver Cars,’ to about 50 low-income elderly residents to improve mobility convenience and support safe walking for seniors with mobility difficulties.

Elderly individuals who have been assessed under the Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly can receive adult walkers as welfare equipment benefits. However, those who have mobility difficulties but have not been granted a grade?referred to as ‘non-graded assessors’?do not receive welfare equipment support and fall into a welfare blind spot. Due to the high cost of adult walkers, they pose a considerable burden on vulnerable elderly groups. Therefore, the district is promoting the provision of adult walkers to guarantee mobility rights for vulnerable seniors.

Elderly person using a walker and Lee Gi-jae, Yangcheon District Mayor, entering the welfare center. Provided by Yangcheon District.

The support targets are residents aged 65 or older who have received a non-grade (A, B) assessment under the Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly and meet one of the following criteria: recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Security, near-poverty class, or recipients under the Medical Care Assistance Act. However, those who have already received support under the Disabled Welfare Act, the Long-Term Care Insurance Act, or other support programs for adult walkers are excluded.

The district will finalize the recipients by reviewing the priority based on selection criteria among applicants submitted through local community centers and plans to purchase adult walkers in bulk and deliver them within this month.

Meanwhile, in February 2020, the district enacted the ‘Seoul Yangcheon-gu Elderly Adult Walker Support Ordinance’ to establish a legal basis for supporting non-graded elderly who do not receive welfare equipment benefits. Up to last year, a total of 163 low-income elderly individuals have been provided with walkers.

Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, “We hope this support will help elderly residents who have difficulty walking to go out safely and comfortably,” adding, “We will continue to carefully examine what elderly people truly need so that they can enjoy a comfortable old age.”

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