Mapo-gu Supports COVID-19 Response with 'Alternative Meals for Senior Cafeterias'... Meal Unit Price Raised to 4,500 Won

Due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, the meal cost per serving at senior citizen cafeterias for low-income seniors aged 60 and over is increased from 3,500 won to 4,500 won, providing quality alternative meals to 912 low-income elderly.

Seongsan Welfare Center Alternative Meal Distribution

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) is increasing the meal cost per person for senior citizens aged 60 and over with low income, who receive meals at senior cafeterias, from the existing 3,500 KRW to 4,500 KRW due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, allocating an emergency budget of 21 million KRW for this purpose.

This measure by the district is a follow-up plan that came after the complete suspension of senior cafeteria operations from February 10 due to COVID-19 and the start of providing simple substitute meals, and it is the first such decision among local governments nationwide.

The increase in the meal cost standard for senior cafeterias arose from concerns that simple substitute meals might cause nutritional imbalance compared to cooked meals.

Senior cafeterias, which usually operate six days a week, have nutritionists on site who design menus and provide balanced meals, whereas simple substitute meals consist of processed or semi-prepared foods, making it difficult to provide high-quality menus at the previous 3,500 KRW cost level.

Accordingly, the district urgently secured an additional budget of 21 million KRW for one month, beyond the 3,500 KRW meal cost supported by Seoul City, and decided to raise the meal cost per person by 1,000 KRW to 4,500 KRW.

As a result, 912 elderly people using seven senior cafeterias in the Mapo area will be able to receive nutritionally more balanced substitute meals starting from the 16th.

Instead of visiting the senior cafeterias six times a week for meals, the recipients will visit two to three times a week to pick up packaged substitute meals and eat at home.

The district plans to continue providing high-quality substitute meals by securing additional budgets if the COVID-19 situation persists.

This emergency budget support by the district began with a phone call from a resident.

According to a district official, a resident living in Seongsan-dong recently inquired about the reopening of senior cafeterias and expressed regret, saying, “I want to eat warm meals together with others rather than heating up instant rice alone.”

In response, with the reopening of senior cafeterias uncertain, the public and private sectors held an emergency meeting together and conducted a satisfaction survey among elderly users of the senior cafeterias, which led to the decision to allocate this emergency budget.

Additionally, the district will strengthen welfare monitoring and social loneliness prevention activities to prevent health deterioration and social isolation caused by eating alone among the elderly.

Distribution of Alternative Meals at Ahyeon Senior Welfare Center

When elderly people receive substitute meals, welfare checks and health screenings will be conducted at least once a week as mandatory, and “heartwarming postcards” containing encouraging messages will be enclosed with the substitute meals to help reduce feelings of loneliness.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “This decision to support meal costs started from the awareness that elderly people who have to eat alone should not suffer from increased loneliness and nutritional imbalance. We will do our best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community and ensure there are no gaps in the welfare safety net.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.