Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor Chaehyunil Challenges 'Zero Solitary Deaths in Single-Person Households'... Installation of Seoul Salpimi App

Implementing 'Yeongdeungpo-gu Free from Solitary Death Risk' with App Installation for Safety Checks in Middle-Aged and Older Single-Person Households... Non-Face-to-Face Welfare Check Service for Reclusive Middle-Aged and Older Adults Avoiding Outside Contact... Rapid Safety Response Enabled through Continuous Monitoring by Designated Guardians

Seoul Salpimi App

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Chaehyunil, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu (photo), is taking the lead in preventing solitary deaths among vulnerable single-person households who are prone to social isolation by utilizing the Seoul Salpimi app (APP).

The Seoul Salpimi app detects button operations and screen touches on the user's phone and, if there is no phone usage for a designated period (6 to 72 hours), automatically sends a rescue message to a designated guardian.

The district announced that it is promoting this project to overcome the limitations of face-to-face welfare check services caused by COVID-19 and to respond promptly to the safety status of vulnerable groups through continuous monitoring using the Seoul Salpimi app.

To select the recipients, the district receives assistance from welfare community participants such as neighbors who discover and support neighbors in welfare blind spots, Our Neighborhood Care Group, and honorary social welfare officers who are working hard in each neighborhood.

From this month until November this year, 869 middle-aged single-person households at risk of solitary death within the district will be selected as app installation targets based on recommendations from welfare community activity residents.

Afterward, the selected recipients will either install the app themselves or visit the local community center, and if necessary, welfare planners and welfare community residents will visit their homes to install the app on their phones.

Through counseling, the monitoring designated time will be set, and guardians such as local community center staff, family, and acquaintances who will receive risk signal messages will be registered in the app.

If no phone response is detected within the designated time and a risk signal is triggered, the designated guardian will first immediately call to check the safety of the recipient. In case of an emergency, cooperation with the police station, fire station, etc., will be sought to take urgent measures, and customized welfare services appropriate to the situation will be provided.

The district plans to start with middle-aged single-person households this year, select elderly, disabled, and other residents in care blind spots as recipients next year, and gradually expand the project so that more residents can receive support in the future.

In addition, Yeongdeungpo-gu is making efforts to discover vulnerable households in social isolation or crisis situations. They have produced Red Mailbox postcards and distributed them to housing-vulnerable groups, and through continuous business agreements with lifestyle-related professions such as honorary social welfare officers, the Real Estate Agents Association, and the City Gas Corporation, they are building a dense human safety net to discover welfare blind spots.

Chaehyunil, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “Due to COVID-19 restricting outdoor activities, more attention and support are needed for vulnerable households living alone,” adding, “We will actively discover and carefully care for residents in need and strive to create an open Yeongdeungpo where no one is alone but lives together.”

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