Seongbuk-gu's Efforts to Alleviate COVID-19 Blues (Depression) Among Seniors

Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center Sends Support Messages to Help Elderly Living Alone Overcome COVID-19 Blues (Depression, Isolation)... Expanding Social Distance, Narrowing Emotional Distance with 'Mental Quarantine, Hope Box' Delivery

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] These days, as social distancing to overcome COVID-19 continues, Seongbuk-gu Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center is drawing attention by actively supporting elderly people living alone who suffer from anxiety about infection and depression (Corona Blue) due to restrictions on outdoor activities.

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center reportedly had 38 life support workers personally visit about 400 elderly people from the 20th to the 24th to deliver the 'Let's Overcome COVID-19 Together! Neighborly Love! Mental Defense Hope Box.'

The life support workers visited homes to read heartfelt letters of encouragement and delivered hope boxes containing relief supplies such as groceries, masks, and patches, as well as the 'Bean Sprout Cultivation Kit,' which is gaining attention as a psychological defense plant, so that the elderly could alleviate depression and feelings of isolation by seeing fresh plants even while indoors.

A welfare center official explained, "Regarding this event, the assigned life support workers and the elderly will cultivate bean sprouts together and record the process, including side dish preparation, in a growth diary. We plan to hold an awards ceremony in May when the social distancing period is expected to end. Through this, they will enjoy the pleasure of cooking with the crops they grew themselves, relieve depression and boredom, and also experience the fun of friendly competition."

Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, which operates the Senior Customized Care Service in Seongbuk-gu, provides care services including safety support, emotional support, and customized case management, as well as various sponsorship-linked activities for elderly people in need of care in Samseon-dong, Donam 1 and 2-dong, and Gireum 1 and 2-dong areas.

Jang Min-gyun, director of Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, said, "I hope that the long-lasting Corona Blue (depression) caused by COVID-19 will be alleviated even a little through growing bean sprouts, a psychological defense plant, and sincerely wish that this will become a source of strength for the elderly to overcome COVID-19."

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