Gangdong-gu, Specialized Disinfection for Senior Facilities Including Nursing Homes and Care Centers

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is making every effort to protect the elderly, who are vulnerable to infection, from COVID-19 as the pandemic continues.

First, Gangdong-gu has implemented emergency closures of elderly welfare facilities such as senior centers and welfare centers for the elderly, and has taken measures to restrict external visitors to facilities such as nursing homes and care homes to protect elderly people with weakened immune systems.

In addition, in early March, Gangdong-gu invested 50 million KRW from contingency funds to conduct extensive disinfection at 174 elderly welfare facilities, and on the 16th and 17th, a second round of disinfection was carried out as part of the social contribution activities of the social enterprise Hannuri.

The district plans to conduct additional professional disinfection through specialized companies even after this disinfection, and will provide disinfectants to each facility so that they can perform frequent disinfection on their own, thoroughly securing the golden time for COVID-19 prevention.

Last month, when COVID-19 began, the district proactively secured preventive supplies and delivered “Safety Bundles” containing masks and hand sanitizers to about 1,350 elderly living alone, doing its best to prevent individual infections.

Efforts by Gangdong-gu to minimize care gaps for elderly living alone, who face social isolation due to the “social distancing” campaign, are also ongoing.

Gangdong-gu is providing substitute meals consisting of ready-to-eat rice, seasoned seaweed, and other home meal replacements once or twice a week instead of free meals previously provided to low-income elderly at four senior cafeterias that have been closed. To care not only for the health but also the emotional well-being of the elderly, the district is making weekly welfare calls to elderly living alone with the help of welfare officers in each neighborhood.

Not only the district but also local organizations are lending their support. The Gangdong-gu branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association is checking on seniors using senior centers, and the senior welfare center and the Korean Red Cross Southern Volunteer Center are confirming the well-being of elderly recipients of free meals through phone calls.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “We will do our utmost to protect the physical and mental health of the elderly from COVID-19 and make Gangdong-gu a ‘Safe Area for the Elderly.’ We also ask the elderly to refrain from unnecessary outdoor activities for everyone’s safety and to follow personal preventive measures such as hand washing, wearing masks, and practicing proper cough etiquette.”

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