Helping Elderly Living Alone in Busan Survive Summer with Fans and Summer Undergarments

Busan City Supports 2,176 Vulnerable Elderly People in Preparation for the Heatwave

Busan City is providing fans and summer underwear to protect elderly people living alone from the heat.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Fans and summer underwear will be provided to help elderly people living alone in the Busan area get through the summer.

On the 17th, Busan City announced that it will distribute cooling supplies to prevent heat-related illnesses among vulnerable elderly people in the area in preparation for the heatwave.

The city combined 45 million won from the disaster relief fund and 20 million won in sponsorship from the Korea Housing Finance Corporation to prepare a total of 65 million won worth of fans and summer underwear, which will be delivered to 2,176 elderly people living alone in 16 districts and counties.

In May, the Central Comprehensive Center for Elderly Living Alone conducted a demand survey for cooling supplies targeting about 20,000 elderly people nationwide through the customized elderly care service, revealing a high preference for fans and summer clothing.

Accordingly, Busan City conducted a status survey through the Busan Comprehensive Support Center for Elderly Living Alone and district/county caregivers for elderly living alone. Fans will be provided to 1,638 elderly people who do not have fans or whose fans are old and need new ones. Summer underwear will be delivered to 538 people who responded that they need summer clothing.

When delivering the items, they will also check on the recipients' well-being and health status, and provide guidance on heatwave response measures and health rules.

Lee Seon-ah, head of the Elderly Welfare Division of Busan City, said, "With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic raising concerns about further spread and the forecast of extreme heat, the health of elderly people who are more vulnerable to heatwaves is more worrisome than ever," adding, "We hope that this support will help elderly people spend the summer safely."

In addition, Busan City is preparing measures to prevent heat-related illnesses among the elderly vulnerable to extreme heat by utilizing some closed senior centers as cooling shelters for the elderly during the heatwave period.

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