Event Held to Help Elderly Living Alone Overcome COVID-19 Blues

Gireum Community Welfare Center Mental Health Protection Event for Seniors

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro), through the Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, which operates the Senior Customized Care Service, held a unique award event for the elderly recipients of the service.

At the end of April, the Gireum Comprehensive Social Welfare Center delivered 'bean sprout cultivation kits,' recognized as psychological quarantine plants, to 100 elderly recipients of the Senior Customized Care Service who were experiencing flu and depression. For one month, the seniors cultivated bean sprouts together with their assigned life support workers and recorded the process, including side dish preparation, in a growth diary. Among these, 10 outstanding works were selected, and on May 27, a small award ceremony and event evaluation meeting were held with the seniors.

On that day, Elder Hong, who won the Writer Award, sent a lengthy letter to the welfare center staff, expressing that “I was deeply immersed in the fun of saving on side dish costs and having a pastime, and it was a very enjoyable experience.” Additionally, Elder Choi, who received the Joy Award, shared a touching sentiment: “While growing the bean sprouts, I thought a lot about my daughter who was thin when she was five years old, and I was happy to grow them beautifully and make bean sprout bibimbap with neighbors.”

Director Jang Min-gyun said, "I hope that the difficult emotions felt while growing the bean sprouts and expressing them in the growth diary were somewhat healed."

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