Is there any place as comfortable as one's own home? This feeling becomes even stronger with age. The furniture worn by years of use, the dishes used at every meal, the neighborhood where every alley is familiar, and family and friends who can be seen whenever desired?all these make people want to stay in their familiar homes as they approach the final chapter of life.

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This attachment is also reflected in statistics. According to the "2023 Senior Survey" released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in October last year, 9 out of 10 seniors wanted to stay in their own homes as long as their health allowed. Even if their health declined, 5 out of 10 still wished to continue living at home. This means that, rather than living in a facility where you must eat even if you're not hungry, lie down even if you can't sleep, and need someone to open the door to go outside, "my own home is best, even if I'm sick." However, there is a prerequisite. Services such as in-home medical care, daily living support like cleaning, meals, and laundry, and home repair must be available. More than 50% of seniors responded that these services are necessary.

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In the 1990s, it was common for seniors to age and pass away at home, cared for by their children. However, after the introduction of the long-term care insurance system in 2008, the number of nursing hospitals and facilities increased, and more seniors began leaving their homes. Now, most seniors are forced into "dying in a hospital" situations, contrary to the life they desire.

Regaining the "right to close one's eyes at home" is not impossible. Just look at Japan, where "community-based integrated care"?providing medical and care services directly to seniors' homes?has taken root. As of 2022, 17% of deaths in Japan occurred at home, a number that has increased every year since 2016 (13%). The simple yet desperate wish to "grow old in my own home, receive proper care, and live near familiar people" is the central theme of Asia Economy's new series "Turning My Home into a Senior House," which begins on the 10th.

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"Turning My Home into a Senior House" is a proposal to transform seniors' living spaces into welfare spaces. Seniors' homes should not just be places to stay, but sanctuaries that improve quality of life. Home visit care services for those with limited mobility, daycare centers located within apartment complexes, senior centers where lunch is served five days a week, moving to a smaller, more comfortable home and using the difference as retirement funds, and creating an environment where a fall in the living room can be quickly detected without major expenses?these are all ways to turn "my home into a senior house."

From October to December last year, we gathered the voices of seniors living at home, care experts, public officials, medical staff, and real estate professionals both domestically and abroad. We thoroughly examined not only Korea but also the situation in Japan. This series is a follow-up to our "The Era of Senior Houses Is Coming" coverage from May last year. At that time, we highlighted the polarization in Korea's senior housing market?between the ultra-wealthy and basic livelihood recipients?and discussed housing solutions for middle-class seniors.

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