Dongjak-gu Strengthens Care for Vulnerable Groups in Response to COVID-19

Since Last Month, Expanded Delivery of Alternative Meals and Side Dishes for Low-Income Seniors... Each District Implements Care Services for Vulnerable Groups Using IoT Technology Such as Smart Safety Keepers and Care Plugs

On the 27th, we personally delivered side dishes to low-income elderly and checked on their well-being.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Changwoo Lee) announced on the 30th that it is strengthening care services for vulnerable groups in the area who are experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19.

In accordance with social distancing measures, the district has temporarily suspended the operation of senior centers and senior dining halls since last month.

Accordingly, since last month, it has expanded the delivery of side dishes and substitute meals to about 1,200 elderly people aged 60 and over with low income and those with mobility difficulties who find it hard to go outside.

The district prepares side dishes such as kimchi and eggs for balanced nutrition and provides substitute meals like ramen and bread through nine local welfare centers two to three times a week or more.

Volunteers and staff wear masks and maintain strict hygiene, delivering meals directly through home visits while educating on COVID-19 prevention guidelines and checking the health of the elderly.

Additionally, each neighborhood is promoting various care projects to ensure no residents are left isolated due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

Noryangjin 1-dong provides the ‘24-hour Smart Safety Keeper’ service, which detects the status of 30 high-risk households for solitary death using IoT door opening sensors.

Sangdo 1-dong continuously monitors the risk situations of elderly living alone using IoT and illuminance sensors through the ‘Care Plug’ project.

Other initiatives include ▲Sadang 5-dong’s ‘Safe Village! Disaster Village’ ▲Sangdo 2-dong’s ‘Love Safety Phone’ ▲Sadang 2-dong’s ‘Home Visit Counseling and Disinfectant Delivery’ ▲Sadang 4-dong’s ‘Love Yogurt Delivery’.

Furthermore, the district is working to alleviate anxiety among vulnerable groups through the operation of the visiting team of the neighborhood-level quarantine task force.

The visiting team conducts activities such as tracking symptomatic individuals, managing infection-vulnerable groups, and resident counseling by expanding the activities of visiting nurses. The quarantine support team, composed of social welfare facility staff, directly visits low-income families, elderly living alone, and disabled persons to support disinfection.

Lee Hongyeol, Director of the Elderly and Disabled Division, said, “We will do our best to provide customized care by age and class to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and protect vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots such as elderly living alone.”

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