An elderly patient is getting into a taxi with a helper in this photo provided by the Donghae City Government.
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — The “Hospital Companion Service for Older Adults” (Taking Oreusin to the Hospital Service) initiative in the city of Donghae, Gangwon Province, which commenced in March of this year, has garnered widespread appreciation from both older adults, affectionately referred to as “Oreusin,” and their caregivers.
The term “Oreusin” was historically a mark of respect used to honor one’s father. Today, it is often used to denote elderly individuals, especially those unrelated to you but belonging to your father’s generation or older.
This term conveys a deep sense of honor and respect for the wisdom and experience that comes with age, akin to the use of “senior citizen” in the U.S. and Canada instead of “old man.”
The new service caters to individuals who require hospital visits but lack the presence of family members or acquaintances to accompany them.
It has received positive feedback from all those who have availed themselves of this assistance.
Donghae was selected by the Gangwon provincial government in a competition to promote hospital accompaniment services for the elderly.
Currently, this initiative is being piloted in three cities and counties in the province, including Donghae.
Under an agreement with the U-care Center, Donghae provides hospital accompaniment services for elderly individuals who face difficulties when seeking medical care due to the absence of family members to accompany them.
Elderly individuals over 65 years of age are entitled to benefits including transportation between their home and the hospital; reception and storage services at the hospital; transportation within the hospital; assistance with prescriptions, medication retrieval and medication guidance; and daily mobility support services.
One citizen who utilized the service shared their experience, saying, “My mother regularly requires dialysis treatment at the hospital, but due to various circumstances, I couldn’t always accompany her. So, I applied for the hospital accompaniment service for the elderly. I was highly satisfied because the accompanying manager accommodated my preferred schedule and provided friendly assistance, making it convenient for me to use the hospital.”
Another service user expressed, “I always felt guilty about having to rely on acquaintances to accompany me to the hospital during my visits. However, I was genuinely content with the convenience and exceptional service offered.
The accompanying manager even informed me of the schedule via phone before the hospital visit and provided detailed explanations during the examination.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
