Yeongdeungpo-gu Launches Customized Integrated Care to Support "Home-Based Living" for the Elderly and Disabled

Connecting Safe Discharge and Fall Prevention Services
Dedicated Department to Be Established Next Year

On October 1, the Yeongdeungpo-gu district in Seoul (headed by District Mayor Cho Yoojin) announced the launch of the "Yeongdeungpo-type Integrated Care Program," which aims to help elderly people and individuals with severe disabilities remain in their homes and communities instead of moving to hospitals or facilities.

2026 Yeongdeungpo-gu Integrated Care Guidebook. Provided by Yeongdeungpo-gu.

Integrated care refers to a service that combines and coordinates healthcare, health management, long-term care, daily living assistance, and housing welfare for elderly people and those with severe disabilities who have difficulty with daily activities due to limited mobility, illness, or frailty. In March this year, the district completely revised its related ordinance and began fully implementing the program. To date, they have identified 707 eligible participants and connected them with 2,768 customized care services.

The program’s flagship initiatives include "Safe Discharge Integrated Care" and "Fall-Free Home Care." Safe Discharge Integrated Care is linked with 10 partner hospitals, providing post-discharge medical and care services starting from the discharge process and continuing after returning home. The Fall-Free Home Care program prevents fall accidents among elderly households by offering up to 2 million won per person to improve home safety. Other services include home settlement support, Smart Health, and in-home exercise education.

Beginning next year, the district will establish a dedicated integrated care department to connect public health centers, community centers, and related agencies under a unified system. Yeongdeungpo will also introduce "Yeongdeungpo Call Companion Car," a new service providing wheelchair-accessible vehicles and support staff for elderly and severely disabled residents who need assistance when leaving home.

Services are available to any elderly resident aged 65 or older or person with severe disabilities who has difficulty living alone or needs care after discharge from a medical facility. Applications and consultations can be made through exclusive service counters at the district’s 18 community centers or at the National Health Insurance Service Yeongdeungpo Nambu Branch.

District Mayor Cho Yoojin stated, “The right to enjoy a healthy and dignified daily life, surrounded by familiar homes and neighbors, should be guaranteed as a basic right for both elderly people and people with disabilities. We are committed to completing the most caring and comprehensive ‘Yeongdeungpo-style Care Network’ so that not a single resident is left behind.”

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