Seocho-gu Delivers 'Safe Package' for Seniors Weary from COVID-19

Delivered safety packages including 'greeting and support handwritten letters, hand sanitizing soap, snacks' to elderly living alone... 6,400 mobility-impaired seniors received 23,000 masks, 1,144 elderly living alone received 3,450 substitute meals directly

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) is implementing various support measures such as delivering safety kits, masks, and lunch boxes for vulnerable groups including elderly living alone and those aged 80 and above, who are susceptible to infectious diseases due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

The elderly living alone are the ones who need more careful attention due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing campaigns.

Accordingly, the district is directly delivering to elderly households ‘safety kits’ containing ▲ handwritten letters of concern and encouragement by life support workers ▲ snack sets including yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly) and nuts, which the elderly like ▲ hand sanitizing soap.

Along with this, they provide guidelines on COVID-19 response actions and monitor health together.

So far, the district has supported 23,000 masks to 17,400 vulnerable elderly with mobility difficulties and delivered 3,500 substitute meals to 1,144 elderly living alone who have difficulty using senior citizen cafeterias.

In particular, as the elderly’s outings have been restricted due to COVID-19 and the closure of welfare facilities has been prolonged, many elderly who usually rely on welfare centers for meals are facing great difficulties.

Therefore, staff at the senior welfare centers are preparing and delivering nutritious meals directly for elderly whose physical strength has declined.

Also, life support workers make daily welfare calls to 1,200 elderly living alone to check if they are having difficulties due to COVID-19 and to monitor their health.

In addition, the district is running the ‘Though physically apart, hearts are close’ program to eliminate feelings of helplessness and depression in elderly who refrain from going out due to the spread of COVID-19 and to give them vitality.

The program allows elderly to attend popular classes such as line dance, stretching, and singing classes at senior welfare centers and Netinamu Shelter online from home to shake off feelings of helplessness.

Also, through the senior welfare center’s website and SNS, activities such as sharing personal updates, checking on each other, and hope and encouragement relay campaigns are being conducted to maintain networks among the elderly and provide communication channels to build community immunity.

Eunhee Jo, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “Although these are difficult times for everyone, we will overcome COVID-19 together with a heart that cares once more for neighbors who are struggling, such as elderly living alone.”

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