"Ensuring Continuous Care for Elderly and Disabled in Their Homes"… Exploring Support Measures

Ministry of Health and Welfare Holds Policy Forum on Integrated Support for Medical, Long-term Care, and Care Services
Gathering Opinions for the Enactment of the Enforcement Decree and Expansion of Pilot Projects

Ahead of the enforcement of the 'Act on Integrated Support for Local Care including Medical and Long-term Care (Care Integration Support Act)' scheduled for March next year, experts from related organizations, local governments, and stakeholders gathered in one place to explore ways to provide organic care support to the elderly and disabled in local communities.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 13th that it held a 'Policy Forum for the Enforcement of the Care Integration Support Act' at Peace & Park Convention in Yongsan, Seoul. This forum was organized as the first official opportunity to publicly share the preparations made by the Ministry and pilot project areas of local governments since the Care Integration Support Act was promulgated in March last year.

Elderly residents are using the rooftop garden at the Eunpyeong Senior Care Center in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Lee Seon-sik, team leader of the Medical Care Coordination Team at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, who was the first presenter, explained the direction of the policy for integrated support for medical care, long-term care, and care under the theme of 'Direction for Promoting Integrated Support for Medical, Long-term Care, and Care.' He described the policy direction to support elderly and disabled people who require complex support by linking visiting medical care, long-term care, or welfare and care systems where they live. Lee said, "We will establish procedures to comprehensively assess the medical, long-term care, and care needs of elderly and disabled persons who have applied or been identified as integrated support targets, and develop individualized support plans to connect various care services," adding, "We will also expand home medical and care services so that those with mobility difficulties can live healthily in their own homes."

Yu Ae-jung, head of the Policy Development Center for Integrated Care Support at the National Health Insurance Service, introduced the progress and expansion plans of the medical and care integrated support pilot project under the theme of 'Progress and Expansion Direction of the Medical and Care Integrated Support Pilot Project.' She shared the operation progress, best practices, and key efforts made to establish an integrated care system in pilot project areas, and proposed strategies and tasks necessary to expand the pilot areas and nationalize the integrated support project.

Jang Min-seon, senior research fellow at the Korea Legislation Research Institute, explained the research results on the draft enforcement decree and enforcement rules of the Care Integration Support Act under the theme of 'Review Direction of the Draft Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules of the Care Integration Support Act.' She proposed key articles of the subordinate legislation draft that will regulate detailed matters such as integrated support targets and integrated support procedures.

In the subsequent panel discussion, chaired by Professor Seok Jae-eun of the Department of Social Welfare at Hallym University, participants included Lee Hye-jin, director of the Korea Home Medical Association; Jeon Yong-ho, professor of social welfare at Incheon University; Seo Dong-min, professor of social welfare at Baekseok University; Kim Kyung-ran, head of the Policy Headquarters at the Korea Disabled Development Institute; Oh Hyun-tae, president of the Korea Day and Night Care Association; Jung Deok-hee, director of the Welfare and Culture Bureau of Jincheon County, Chungbuk; Byun Jae-gwan, policy chairman of the Care and Future Foundation; and Jang Young-jin, head of the Medical, Long-term Care, and Care Integrated Support Team at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The attendees agreed on the need for active cooperation not only among the Ministry of Health and Welfare but also among local governments, the National Health Insurance Service, specialized institutions, and service providers.

Minister Cho Kyu-hong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, "The Care Integration Support Act is significant in that it lays the foundation to integrally link and support health care, long-term care, and welfare services, which have so far been provided in a segmented and supplier-centered manner, into a target-centered system." He added, "As Korea has entered a super-aged society this year, we will solidly establish an organic care linkage system so that the elderly can continue to live healthily where they have lived, and expand the support targets to include the disabled. We will prepare meticulously so that local governments can effectively support care services along with the enforcement of the law."

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