Gyeonggi Province Implements '2020 Gyeonggi Province Elderly Counseling Service Activation Plan'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 11th that it will implement the '2020 Gyeonggi Province Elderly Counseling Service Activation Plan' to promote elderly welfare in the province.

The Gyeonggi Province elderly counseling service is designed to provide comprehensive counseling services to elderly residents in the province and their families, and through corresponding support, contribute to improving their living stability and quality of life.

Key initiatives include ▲enhancing database systems for city and county elderly counseling centers ▲operating elderly counseling centers across all 31 cities and counties in the province ▲the role of 'primary care counselor' that proactively discovers and supports target individuals.
This year, by enhancing the database systems for city and county elderly counseling centers, big data will be built and analyzed to improve the quality of counseling services through effective counsel on elderly issues and solutions.

Currently, Gyeonggi Province operates 56 elderly welfare centers in 31 cities and counties throughout the province based on the Gyeonggi Province Comprehensive Elderly Counseling Center, as well as 1 Hanam Young Rak Home-Based Elderly Support Service Center and 1 Guri City Elderly Counseling Center, totaling 58 facilities. It is the only province nationwide operating elderly counseling centers across all 31 cities and counties.

In particular, Gyeonggi Province's elderly counseling, through cooperation with relevant organizations in the region, proactively discovers and supports target individuals and can be expected to play the role of 'primary care counselor' through counseling that visits clients not only at centers but also at home care facilities and institutions.

Additionally, the province plans to continuously improve counseling services through ▲conducting expert counseling subcommittee meetings for training counseling personnel ▲developing promotion and counseling information content using social media ▲establishing an integrated representative phone number system for Gyeonggi Province elderly counseling.

Any elderly resident aged 60 and above and their families in each region can receive counseling by visiting or calling the elderly counseling center located in their city or county. Services are available free of charge Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays.

Meanwhile, last year, a total of 58,755 people used counseling services, followed by 24,413 people receiving education on improving elderly awareness and preventing elderly issues, 20,081 people receiving individual and group counseling, and 14,261 psychological assessments.