(image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, July 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The government has decided to expand public care services to address a blind spot by including youth and middle-aged individuals.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Wednesday announced its plan to provide daily life support services to middle-aged individuals (aged 40-64) who require care services due to diseases, injuries, or isolation.
Additionally, young people (aged 13-34) who care for family members with diseases or disabilities will also receive these services. The implementation of these services is scheduled for the second half of this year.
The government’s comprehensive service entails social service workers visiting beneficiaries’ homes to provide a range of care services.
These services encompass household chores, assistance with banking and shopping, and other forms of support.
In addition, a specialized service will be available to address specific challenges faced by service users in their daily lives, such as feelings of isolation.
This service includes programs such as psychological consultation and promotion of interpersonal exchanges, tailored to individual circumstances.
The selection of beneficiaries will be based on their needs, rather than their incomes, enabling middle-income groups to benefit from these services.
However, the cost of the services for each beneficiary will depend on their income level.
For the basic service, the monthly usage fee is 190,000 won (US$145) for 12 hours and 636,000 won for 36 hours. The specialized service, on the other hand, ranges from 120,000 to 250,000 won, depending on the type of service provided.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
