Gangdong-gu, headed by Mayor Lee Jung-hun, opened up senior citizen centers with the aim to transform this exclusive space for center members into a space for elders, general residents and local children.

There is a total of 57,983 elders over the age of 65 residing in Gangdong-gu, making up 13.4% of the total population in the area. To extend the number of communication spaces for elders and local residents, 22 senior centers have been opened to the public, and turned into small welfare centers and open senior citizen centers.

The open senior citizen centers are used as program learning centers that utilize the unused spaces of sarangbangs for the elderly (senior citizen centers), consequently giving place to 17 centers in addition to the Cheonho 2(i)-dong center to be reborn as sarangbangs. The Cheonho 2(i)-dong senior citizen center will remain a senior citizen center during the day, but from 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., when the elderly return home, the space will be used for the “Dream Smile” program, an exclusive program for children and teenagers. This space will allow children and elderly people to take part in traditional play-along games and other afterschool activities.

The small welfare centers are larger in size than the open senior citizen centers (by a minimum of 300 m2) and hold more than two regular programs a week. The centers are located in Seonsa Hyundai Apartments and two other locations where divers programs are organized, such as first, second and third generation art classes, tea meditation, healthy gymnastics, youth theater, Korean classes, art activities, laughing exercises and more.

Mayor Lee Jung-hun commented, “It is a delight to see senior citizen centers open up as a cultural space for residents of first, second and third generations that allows them to communicate with one another,” before adding, “We will continue to open up senior citizen centers so that they can become sarangbangs for all residents to enjoy.”

<Related Photos>

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  Open senior citizen center’s Dream Smile program

  

  Small welfare center’s tea meditation program

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