Kim Kyung-dae, the district mayor of Seoul's Yongsan-gu, is making the rounds at hub senior centers across the district to connect with elderly residents and hear their concerns firsthand.
The hub senior center tour runs from July 10 through July 31, visiting 16 designated centers — one per neighborhood — where presidents and secretaries of local senior centers gather to receive hands-on training in center management.
Each session opens with a conversation with the district mayor, followed by outside expert instructors covering topics including traffic safety, dementia-prevention exercises, center accounting and operations, and the protection of elder rights and prevention of abuse.
At a session held Monday at Garwol Senior Center, Kim greeted each elderly attendee personally and listened directly to their complaints and suggestions about running their centers. He also stressed the importance of health management and safe daily living, and took time to hear a range of opinions from participants.
After the training, the Yongsan chapter of the Korea Senior Citizens Association distributed eggs, dried seaweed and side dishes to each center.
One senior center president said the sessions were highly useful, with content that offered practical help in managing a center. "It means even more that the district mayor came in person to listen to us," she said.
"Senior centers are the heart of communication and leisure for our elderly residents, so hearing directly from the people on the ground is more important than anything," Kim said. "We will continue to expand tailored education and support so that our seniors can live safely and in good health."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
