47% of the total population, 47% of the elderly, sent 'AI Malbot' to Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon.

YTN Radio (FM 94.5) [YTN News FM Wise Radio Life]

□ Broadcast date and time: October 8, 2024 (Tue)
□ Host: Announcer Park Gui-bin
□ Castor: Lee Eun-sook, head of the Welfare Department for the Elderly, Gyeonggi-do

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information.
◆ Announcer Park Gui-bin (hereinafter referred to as Park Gui-bin): As Korea becomes a super-aged society, the number of elderly people living in Gyeonggi-do is also increasing. In line with the growing number of elderly people, Gyeonggi Province actively introduced "artificial intelligence" for realistic elderly care. Following the AI Malbot service, a representative elderly care service, a new AI senior care town will be promoted this time. For more information, I'll call Lee Eun-sook, head of the welfare department for the elderly in Gyeonggi-do. How are you, sir?

◇Lee Eun-sook, head of the Welfare Department for the Elderly (hereinafter referred to as Lee Eun-sook): Hello.

◆Park Gui-bin: What is the background of promoting elderly care using artificial intelligence (AI) in Gyeonggi Province?

◇Eun-sook Lee: The elderly population in Gyeonggi-do at the end of the year last year surpassed 2.12 million to 2.21 million as of the end of August this year, accounting for 22% of the nation's elderly population. It can be considered that 2.2 out of 10 elderly people in the country live in Gyeonggi-do. As the elderly population increases, the demand for care is also increasing rapidly. Existing face-to-face follow-up care services alone have limitations in the lack of service personnel and financial investment. Therefore, Gyeonggi-do Province has promoted non-face-to-face and preventive elderly care services using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

◆Park Gui-bin: What are some projects for elderly care using artificial intelligence (AI)?

◇Eun-sook Lee: We provide 'AI Elderly Malbot Service' to 5,000 senior citizens in the province. Once a week, an AI counselor calls the elderly to check their safety and monitors them for signs of crisis such as meals, health, and exercise. In addition, it provides a "Convenient AI Care" service to 1,000 elderly people that allows them to easily manage their health through a mobile phone app. We monitor the health of the elderly by measuring heart rate and stress index with just a finger touch and providing analysis results to care managers. In addition, we are pushing for a new AI Senior Care Town project this year in areas vulnerable to welfare infrastructure and a "AI Senior Care Town" project for the abused elderly.

◆Park Gui-bin: 'AI Senior Care Town' Is it a similar concept to a silver town?

◇ Lee Eun-sook: You can think of it as a slightly different concept. You can think of it as a project that intensively provides the artificial intelligence (AI) elderly care services mentioned earlier in vulnerable medical and welfare areas. In June, Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon-si was selected as the first project target. This area has the highest proportion of the elderly population among Eup, Myeon and Dong in Gyeonggi-do with 47% of the total population of the elderly.On the other hand, it is an area where medical and welfare facilities are insufficient and care provision personnel are also insufficient, and the elderly in the area are intensively provided with "AI Elderly Malbot Service" and "Convenient AI Care." In addition, a "talking AI kiosk" was installed in the restaurant in the jurisdiction so that the elderly could order kiosks without any inconvenience with voice recognition, and the "AI Sarangbang," a digital experience space where people can enjoy AI-based cognitive and physical activities and dementia prevention contents in the small library in Gwanin-myeon, will be opened in November.

◆Park Gui-bin: How can I use the elderly care service using AI described above?

◇Eun-sook Lee: I'll tell you about the current 'AI Old Man's Horse Boat Service'. We accept applications for this service throughout the year.Anyone aged 65 or older in the province can apply, and we provide services to all 31 cities and counties, so you can bring your ID card and apply at the administrative welfare center having jurisdiction over your resident registration address.

◆Park Gui-bin: The number of elderly people living in Gyeonggi-do is increasing, and of course, this is a nationwide phenomenon, but Gyeonggi-do is preparing and promoting services using artificial intelligence. How do you plan for the future?

◇Lee Eun-sook: By 2028, Gyeonggi-do will enter a super-aged society where the elderly population accounts for 20%. The number of people who need to be cared for is increasing rapidly than those who need to be cared for. Gyeonggi-do Province plans to establish a leading dense elderly care system by actively utilizing existing care systems and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. We ask for your interest. Thank you.

◆Park Gui-bin: I was Lee Eun-sook, head of the welfare department for the elderly in Gyeonggi Province. Thank you.

◇Eunsuk Lee: Yes, thank you.