Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun Visits Households Supported by Saebit Care Service

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun visited households utilizing the Saebit Care Service on the 21st to commemorate the first anniversary of the service's operation.

The Saebit Care Service is available to anyone regardless of income, assets, or age. When a care planner visits a household and determines that care is needed, households with a median income at or below 75% receive 1 million won per person annually in care service support. Households exceeding 75% of median income can use care services at their own expense.

The mayor first visited 81-year-old Mr. Lee OO, who lives in a semi-basement room of a multi-family residence in Kwonseon-dong. Since his spouse, who suffered from dementia, passed away in April, Mr. Lee has been living alone and is currently using the "home service" to have his residence cleaned by a Saebit caregiver.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun asked, "Is the care service very helpful in your daily life?" Mr. Lee responded, "It is very helpful indeed. I am grateful for the care shown by the community administrative welfare center."

He also visited the home of 92-year-old Ms. Kang OO, who lives alone. As a basic livelihood security recipient, Ms. Kang applied for long-term care insurance due to her advanced age making it difficult to manage meals alone, but was classified as "ineligible." Her children, who live in other regions, applied for Saebit Care Service, and she is currently using the home service.

Mayor Lee Jae-jun said, "There is an energy voucher support program available, so on hot weather days, don't endure the heat—feel free to turn on the air conditioning." The mayor also did dishes at the sink.

Saebit Care is a "Suwon-style integrated care project" centered on community, identifying neighbors in need of care and providing them with necessary care services. The city piloted Saebit Care in eight districts starting July 1 last year, and has been operating it in all 44 districts since January 1 this year.

The service provides four major care services: △home service △accompanying support △psychological counseling △and temporary protection.

From July 1 last year through the end of July this year, 6,501 people received consultations for Saebit Care Service, and 2,753 applied. The total number of service uses reached 12,861. Home service accounted for the most at 9,925 cases, followed by psychological counseling with 1,775 cases, accompanying support with 1,068 cases, and temporary protection with 93 cases.

Additionally, since March, eight pilot districts (Pajang-dong, Jowon 1-dong, Seryou 2-dong, Seodun-dong, Hwaseo 1-dong, Uman 1-dong, Maetan 4-dong, and Woncheon-dong) have been selected to operate meal delivery services for citizens in need of meal support, which 116 people have utilized for 3,870 meals.