- A public dementia care facility that can accommodate 96 residents will serve as core infrastructure in a super-aged society -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok) is adding momentum to establishing a public dementia care system in response to a rapidly aging society. With Incheon’s first municipal nursing home dedicated to dementia nearing completion and preparations underway for its opening in the second half of the year, the initiative is expected to mark a turning point in shifting dementia care from a family-centered responsibility to a publicly supported system.

The Incheon Municipal Dementia Nursing Home, currently under construction in Galhyeon-dong, Gyeyang-gu, has a total floor area of 2,980 ㎡, with one basement level and five above-ground floors, and a capacity for 96 residents. As Incheon’s first public dementia-specialized facility, it is expected to serve as a key pillar of the region’s dementia response network.

Notably, the city proactively laid the institutional groundwork by enacting the “Ordinance on the Establishment and Operation of Incheon Municipal Dementia-Specialized Senior Care Facilities” in September last year. By outlining operational principles, eligibility criteria, and the legal basis for outsourcing, Incheon has ensured that both public accountability and professionalism will be secured upon the facility’s opening.

The staff will be comprised of those who have completed specialized dementia training, and the nursing home will be offering programs designed to maintain cognitive function and promote emotional stability. The city plans to establish a standard model for public dementia care services through systematic preparations, including appointing an operating agency and installing necessary equipment.

Shin Byung-cheol, Director of the Incheon Health and Welfare Bureau, stated, “The municipal dementia nursing home goes beyond a simple expansion of facilities. It represents the starting point for transforming dementia care into a system where society shares responsibility. With the doors open in the second half of the year, we will deliver tangible public care services for citizens.”