Gwanak-gu Establishes 'Resident Network for Solitary Death Prevention'

Establishing Public-Private Cooperation System Among District-Residents-Welfare Centers... Focus on Low-Income Single-Person Households at Risk of Solitary Deaths... Proactive Identification and Customized Support, Emphasizing Reconnection with Neighbors and Society

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is working with the local community to build a ‘Lonely Death Prevention Resident Network’ to ensure that no resident faces death alone in social isolation.

The ‘Lonely Death Prevention Project’ first began in 2017 targeting Daehak-dong. However, recognizing that lonely deaths have been steadily increasing across all age groups due to rapid aging and the rise of single-person households, the district significantly expanded the target area to 11 neighborhoods in 2019.

This year, the project will be implemented in 14 neighborhoods (including newly added Euncheon-dong, Seonghyeon-dong, and Seorim-dong) that were finally selected in the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s ‘2020 Resident Network Formation Project’ competition.

The district focuses on ‘low-income single-person households,’ which are at high risk of lonely death, aiming to help those in crisis escape social isolation.

By establishing a public-private cooperation system with residents familiar with local conditions and welfare centers serving as community welfare hubs, the district plans to carry out step-by-step solutions such as ‘active identification of at-risk households ? tailored service support ? formation of neighborly networks.’

The investigation targets include single-person households registered in the resident registry, households with members but effectively single-person households, etc. Various methods will be used to thoroughly identify single-person households in crisis, including ▲occasional surveys linked to resident registration fact-finding, ▲discovery surveys using move-in and death reports, ▲discovery surveys of households re-registered in the resident registry, and ▲discovery surveys using SNS (Together Welfare Talk).

Additionally, ‘Neighbor Watchers’ and ‘Neighbor Guardians,’ composed of residents such as community leaders well-versed in local issues, will collaborate with the district and welfare centers to identify single-person households at risk of lonely death living in vulnerable housing areas such as goshiwon (small dormitory rooms), guesthouses, and rooftop rooms.

A district official explained, “In the era of nuclear families where family-centered care systems are breaking down, the fundamental measure to prevent lonely deaths is for residents who know the local situation well to visit and check on isolated single-person households, helping restore connections with neighbors and society.”

Furthermore, welfare centers will fully support residents’ activities by providing education and workshops so that these residents can acquire and share information about at-risk households and conduct smoother welfare counseling.

High-risk single-person households identified will receive in-depth counseling at the neighborhood community service centers and, according to individual needs, will be supported with tailored services such as government public benefits and linkage to private resources through welfare centers. Depending on their willingness for independence, they will also be connected to job placement and programs aimed at restoring relationships with neighbors.

Mayor Park Jun-hee stated, “We will work closely with residents and welfare centers to thoroughly understand the status of single-person households and actively support them to overcome crisis situations. I thank the residents and welfare centers who are actively participating in identifying at-risk households and look forward to vigorous activities toward realizing a happier community together.”

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