AI-Powered Senior Centers: Choi Yucheol Shakes Up Uiseong's Welfare System

Over 500 Senior Centers to Become Smart Hubs for Health, Care, and Leisure
Tailored Pledge for Uiseong’s Super-Aged Society

Choi Yucheol, the preliminary candidate of the People Power Party for Uiseong County Governor, has unveiled his vision for the digital transformation of senior welfare in the region by proposing the “Smart Senior Center” as a key welfare pledge to address the super-aged society.

His plan aims to transform approximately 500 senior centers across Uiseong from simple resting places into integrated welfare hubs that combine artificial intelligence (AI) and data technology for health management, care, leisure, and education.

AI-Worn Senior Center, Choi Yoocheol Shakes the Welfare Scene in Uiseong [Choi Yoocheol Uiseong County Governor Preliminary Candidate Office]

On April 19, Choi announced the “Smart Senior Center” as the fourth of his five main pledges for the AI era and stated, “Welfare for the elderly must not remain in traditional forms in a super-aged society.” He added, “We will create a leading national welfare model by integrating AI and IoT technologies into Uiseong’s existing data-driven senior center management system.”

This pledge focuses on advancing Uiseong’s senior center integrated management system, which was the first of its kind nationwide. The plan is to systematically analyze accumulated member information, usage history, and support data to establish a personalized health management system. In addition, IoT-based health measurement equipment will be installed at each senior center to automatically record and manage key health indicators such as blood pressure and body composition.

Choi particularly highlighted the introduction of a brainwave-based dementia risk analysis system as a core component. The goal is to predict risk signs at an asymptomatic stage before the onset of the disease and to implement the “Uiseong-Style Close Care Model,” which links public health centers and local medical institutions to provide continuous management for high-risk groups. This approach is notable for establishing a preventive, health-centered management system at senior centers, rather than simply providing welfare services.

The pledge also includes a significant expansion of digital-based leisure and cognitive training programs. By using smart tables for functional games and cooperative activities, the plan seeks to increase social interaction among seniors. The integration of an AI-based music healthcare system aims to simultaneously promote emotional stability and cognitive improvement. The intention is to seamlessly incorporate technology into the daily lives of the elderly, contributing both to dementia prevention and to restoring vitality to their lives.

The pledge further addresses the creation of indoor exercise environments to respond to the climate crisis. To protect seniors from external factors such as fine dust, heat waves, and cold spells, the plan is to introduce screen-based park golf and virtual reality walking exercise systems, enabling safe and continuous physical activity. The accumulated exercise data will be linked to the integrated management system and used as individualized health management information.

Another key element is the establishment of a digital communication network connecting all senior centers. Choi announced plans to use two-way video systems so that seniors in each village center can participate in real-time classes, such as singing lessons, physical exercise, and humanities lectures, operated by welfare centers. He also proposed deploying dedicated staff to support seniors unfamiliar with digital devices, thereby narrowing the gap in information accessibility.

Choi emphasized, “Uiseong’s senior center integrated management system is already the nation’s best-in-class foundation. By combining AI and IoT, Uiseong can become the standard model for smart senior centers in Korea.”

He added, “Based on the three pillars of programs, technology, and institutional cooperation, I will ensure the completion of innovative welfare policies that transform the way seniors live.”

This pledge is significant as it proposes a direction for redefining the role of senior centers in rural areas where a super-aged society is already a reality.

The idea of transforming senior centers from mere shelters into lifestyle platforms that encompass health, care, education, and communication is closely linked to solutions for rural welfare amid the crisis of regional extinction.

Attention is now focused on whether technological innovation can be added to Uiseong’s accumulated administrative foundation and on the feasibility of this pledge being implemented.

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