Yeongdeungpo-gu, Public and Private Sectors Collaborate to Prevent Solitary Deaths... Focused Management of Single-Person Households

Community Centers, Welfare Centers, and Residents Collaborate to Identify At-Risk Single-Person Households... Joint Public-Private Support Measures Established... Focused Inspections on Vulnerable Housing Areas, Move-In Reports... Practical Support Including Living Expenses

Residents of Yeongdeungpo-dong visited a restaurant on October 7 last year to recruit neighbor-keeping establishments.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is making every effort to prevent solitary deaths among vulnerable single-person households in the area by building a social safety net through public-private cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of unclaimed deaths from 2014 to 2018 totaled 9,330, with the figure nearly doubling from 1,379 in 2014 to 2,447 in 2018 over five years.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates that unclaimed deaths are likely solitary deaths, prompting the district to actively devise measures to address this issue.

The district has designated Yeongdeungpo-dong, Dorim-dong, Singil 1-dong, Singil 3-dong, and Daerim 3-dong as focused management areas. Single-person households in these areas number 31,098, accounting for 55.8% of the 55,688 households residing in the five neighborhoods. Basic livelihood security recipients and lower-income groups total 5,494 households, representing 9.8%.

The district is concentrating efforts on preventing solitary deaths through a three-step process: ▲identifying at-risk households ▲developing support measures ▲forming networks.

Each community service center, welfare center, and residents focus on investigating vulnerable residential areas such as boarding houses, rooftop rooms, and semi-basements to uncover welfare blind spots.

Additionally, the district has introduced a ‘Red Mailbox’ system, allowing reclusive marginalized groups to request help in writing by hanging the mailbox on door handles, and welfare needs are assessed when residents register their address at community service centers.

Once at-risk single-person households are identified, their risk is assessed using a solitary death checklist, and support measures and living expenses are actively provided.

Neighbors, small business owners, and apartment management office staff act as ‘Neighbor Watchers’ to monitor vulnerable groups.

Residents gain understanding of at-risk single-person households through workshops and empathize with their difficulties through regular home visits.

Community service center staff and Neighbor Watchers plan to alleviate feelings of isolation and depression among single-person households through activities such as ▲home visits on meeting days ▲walking together on good days ▲healing camps ▲food and daily necessities support ▲and creating wish trees.

Meanwhile, last year, the district, welfare centers, and residents jointly identified 169 households at risk of solitary death, taking the lead in building a social safety net.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “There are many lonely neighbors around us waiting for a helping hand,” and added, “Yeongdeungpo-gu will actively prepare various support measures for single-person households in the area.”

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