“While listening to the explanation about disability in older people, I thought a lot about my own grandparents. I also learned for the first time that disability can naturally develop as one ages.”
These are the words of a citizen who participated in the 'Pinky Promise' disability awareness campaign held by the Chuncheon branch of Shincheonji Volunteer Group. The campaign was held on the 19th July in the Chuncheon Pungmul Market area to raise awareness about disability among people in older age through correct information.
The 'Pinky Promise' campaign was established to break down the walls of prejudice against people of disability, establish open communication and put love for one's neighbour into practice. In the same way that the little finger, though the smallest of the five fingers, is an essential part of the hand and body, people of disability are citizens who play an equally important role in society.
In South Korea, the proportion of elderly people with disabilities aged 65 or older has exceeded half of the disabled population in Korea, reaching 53.9% (according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare).
The campaign highlighted the reality that we can suffer from geriatric disabilities due to various declines in physiological functions.
Local resident Eun-young Yang (56, female), who went out for a walk and joined the campaign, said, “While listening to the explanation about disability in older age, I thought, ‘I’m soon going to be in my 60s, so this could be my story,’” and added, “I hope that many people will have the right information about disabilities and that awareness will improve.”
Dong-woo Kim, deputy director of the Chuncheon branch, said, “A change in social awareness of disability among the elderly is necessary amid the reality of a rapidly progressing super-aged population.”
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