Geumcheon-gu Launches Smart Hygiene Care Pilot — Bringing AI Robots and Home Bathing Services to Integrated Care

Geumcheon-gu has selected three service providers for its "Geumcheon Hangyeol Care" program and signed MOUs with them on Monday, marking the start of a smart hygiene integrated care pilot project in the district for the second half of this year.

"Geumcheon Hangyeol Care" is a district-specific program that expands the scope of existing care services to cover basic hygiene needs — including excretion management and bathing — that conventional care services have struggled to address. It is the first integrated care service of its kind in Seoul.

The program targets Geumcheon-gu residents enrolled in integrated care who require hygiene support, offering two services: an AI-based excretion care robot rental service and a home bathing service.

The AI-based excretion care robot rental service is aimed at residents who need continuous excretion assistance — including people with severe or bedridden disabilities and those rated level 1 through 3 under the long-term care system. The district will install and lend the devices at home, providing usage training, condition monitoring, maintenance and retrieval. The device functions as a reclining bidet that automatically detects and processes waste, then cleanses and dries the user to help prevent pressure sores. In the second half of this year, the service will be available to about 20 people, with each person eligible for up to four months of use.

The home bathing service targets residents who cannot bathe independently or have difficulty moving — including those who fall outside the long-term care rating system and cannot access existing home bathing services. Depending on the individual's physical condition and home environment, the service will be delivered using a mobile bathing vehicle or facilities within the home, such as a bathroom or portable bathtub. In the second half of this year, the service will be available to about 80 people, with each person eligible for up to eight sessions.

Through the pilot, Geumcheon-gu plans to build a coordination framework linking the new hygiene care services with its existing integrated care offerings. The district will also review AI-based usage data and satisfaction levels to refine the program before rolling out "Geumcheon Hangyeol Care" as a core component of its integrated care system starting in 2027.

"Geumcheon Hangyeol Care is a project that broadens the scope of Geumcheon-gu's integrated care by filling gaps in basic hygiene support, including excretion management and bathing," District Mayor Choi Ki-chan said. "We will continue to raise service quality and expand support so that residents can reliably receive the care they need without leaving their homes."