The local government of Pasig City on Thursday, March 20, inaugurated its Japan-style elderly care facility which features affordable smart care technology to improve the services for seniors in the city.
Mayor Vico Sotto, together with Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski and Rep. Roman Romulo, led the inauguration of the Pasig Magokoro Elderly Care Facility in Barangay San Miguel, which is located near the Pasig Mega Dialysis Center and Pasig City General Hospital (PCGH).
The local government said that with the Japan-style caregiving, the facility aims to empower seniors by helping them move independently while receiving the support that they need.
Sotto first expressed the need for this kind of service in 2019, which supports and encourages seniors to be less dependent on others. However, discussions with the Japanese company, INFIC Inc., were delayed due to the pandemic.
“Una kong nakausap ang INFIC noong 2019. Sabi ko kailangan natin ang ganitong klaseng serbisyo sa Pasig. Kaso lang, dahil sa pandemya, natigil ang aming paguusap. 2022 pormal nang nakipag-usap ang LGU sa kanila, at ngayon nandito na tayo (I first spoke with INFIC in 2019, saying that Pasig needed this kind of service. However, our discussions were put on hold due to the pandemic. The LGU formally resumed talks in 2022, and now, here we are),” the mayor said.
Sotto said the facility can serve as a stepdown facility for seniors who have been discharged from the hospital but still need recovery support.
He added that it can also be a referral facility for health centers, assisting seniors who do not need hospital admission but still need some assistance and attention.
To enhance its services, the facility is equipped with room and bed sensors that provide 24/7 non-invasive monitoring of pulse, movement, light, temperature, and the seniors' conditions, helping reduce the caregiving burden on both caregivers and families.
The facility also allows seniors to live with their families while receiving adaptable, needs-based services, including home visits, day care, and short- or long-term stays, all delivered by a multidisciplinary team of nurses, rehabilitation specialists, and caregivers.
The local government added that the facility’s caregivers include both Japanese professionals and Filipino caregivers who have been trained in Japanese-style caregiving to provide focused support for seniors.
The mayor thanked INFIC Inc., with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for introducing an innovative caregiving style to the city.