The Seoul Welfare Foundation said Friday that it will deploy artificial intelligence and robotics across six nursing facilities, a move aimed at shoring up a senior care sector currently reeling from a labor shortage and Korea’s rapid demographic shift.
The program, the 2026 Care Service Digital Transformation Support, is a targeted attempt to modernize a sector notorious for grueling physical labor and high turnover. Six institutions were chosen from a pool of 40 applicants to receive approximately 7 million won ($4,300) in project funding each, alongside specialized technical consulting.
The initiative focuses on "care burden areas" — tasks that are both physically taxing for staff and high-risk for residents, including patient transfers, fall monitoring and the prevention of pressure ulcers.
Under the pilot, Gangbuk Haru Jeong and Balgeunssal nursing homes will introduce motorized repositioning beds, designed to reduce the musculoskeletal strain on workers who must regularly turn bedridden patients. At the Yongsan Senior Nursing Home, administrators will deploy noncontact radar sensors that monitor movement patterns to detect pre-fall behavior, a move toward predictive rather than reactive safety.
Other facilities, including Seoul Senior Town and the Yeomin Welfare Cooperative, plan to use electric lifts and wearable robotic exoskeletons to assist with safe patient transfers. Meanwhile, the Songpa Senior Nursing Home will trial bowel sensors that alert staff only when necessary, aiming to eliminate the repetitive manual checks that dominate the workday.
The foundation framed the rollout as a critical necessity as Korea enters the era of a super-aged society. By automating routine monitoring and providing mechanical assistance for heavy lifting, officials hope to stabilize a labor force that is increasingly struggling to keep pace with demand.
"This project goes beyond the mere introduction of technology. It is a process of establishing an execution-oriented model for digital transformation that addresses the practical challenges of caregiving," said Yoo Yeon-hee, the head of the Social Service Support Center. "Our goal is to identify models with proven field effectiveness and expand their reach in the future."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
