Hwaseong City has provided integrated health services to more than 1,000 senior citizens through its On-dol Gyeong-dong Care Center program over five years [1].
By delivering medical and nutritional education directly to local senior centers, the city reduces the physical and logistical barriers that often prevent elderly residents from visiting hospitals or welfare facilities.
The program operates as a comprehensive six-week course, with sessions held twice per week for a total of 12 meetings [1]. Each session typically hosts about 10 participants [1]. The curriculum focuses on a variety of health needs, including dementia prevention, nutrition management, mental and physical health education, denture care, and exercise [1].
Activities within the program include cognitive exercises such as "finding the difference" in pictures, where participants identify variations in numbers, shapes, and colors [2]. These exercises are designed to stimulate mental acuity in a social environment.
One 73-year-old participant said the lessons provide practical tools for home use. She said that instead of simply sitting on a sofa in her living room, she can now apply the techniques taught by the instructors [1].
The initiative leverages the existing infrastructure of senior centers, known as gyeong-dong, to create a community-based health network. This approach allows the city to monitor the well-being of its aging population while providing specialized care that is typically centralized in medical districts [1].
“Cumulative participation exceeded 1,000 seniors over five years.”
The On-dol Gyeong-dong program represents a shift toward decentralized geriatric care. By moving preventative health services from clinical settings into social hubs, Hwaseong is addressing the 'last mile' problem of healthcare access for the elderly, potentially lowering long-term public health costs by delaying the onset of dementia and chronic malnutrition.
