I once visited a social enterprise that provides food care. Everyone was very busy making lunch boxes to deliver to the elderly.(Photo by Milly)    A few days ago, the elderly lady living next door kept pressing our doorbell and banging on our door. I was so startled that when I opened the door, she told me she was feeling very unwell and asked if I could take her to the hospital. I immediately called an ambulance and managed to contact her guardian to explain the situation.   After a while, the guardian and the lady came back to our door. The guardian said she had been to the hospital and there was no major problem. However, it seemed she might have some early signs of dementia.   Since then, the lady has occasionally knocked on our door or called out looking for someone. One time, she even tried to follow a delivery person, asking to be taken along. Watching this, I couldn’t help but think of my and my husband’s grandparents. My own grandparents had severe ...

A scene from the 2023 Policy Forum of Medical-Welfare Social Cooperatives. Social economy organizations in Korea are continuously exploring ways to provide integrated community-based care.(Photo by Milly) In 2024, South Korea officially entered a “super-aged society,” with more than 20% of its registered population aged 65 or older. This demographic shift has been largely driven by the aging of the baby boomer generation, born between 1955 and 1963, who are now becoming seniors. As a result, public interest in elderly care is growing rapidly.   😃The Role of Community-Based Integrated Care and the Social Economy   Many elderly people in Korea wish to stay in their own neighborhoods until the end of their lives. However, adult children, who are often expected to care for aging parents, find it difficult to provide hands-on support due to work and other personal responsibilities.   In response, community-based integrated care has emerged as a key solution. This ...