6024 Households Say Goodbye!... Nowon-gu Single-Person Household Census

Nowon-gu Completes Full Survey of 6,024 Socially Isolated Single-Person Households, Completes Actual Condition Survey of 3,179, Connects 1,827 to Customized Welfare Services

Quarterly Monitoring for 2,090 Unreachable Cases, Exploring Ways to Build Bonds with Refusers

Expanding Monitoring of Households at Risk of Solitary Death to Include ‘Crisis’ Subjects, Preventing Solitary Death through Social Networks

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it has completed a full survey of socially isolated single-person households over approximately 100 days.

Recently, the proportion of single-person households in Nowon-gu has steadily increased from 27.8% in 2020 to 35.1% in 2022. Over the past three years, there have been a total of 18 solitary deaths, with 38.9% among middle-aged individuals (50s to 60s) and 61.1% among seniors aged 70 and above. Among them, 65.2% were welfare recipients, and 34.8% were non-recipients.

Accordingly, the district decided to conduct a full survey of a total of 6,024 individuals identified as socially isolated single-person households based on its own investigation results. The aim is to identify households potentially at risk of solitary death by assessing housing, economy, health, social networks, and mental health, and to intervene early to eliminate welfare blind spots.

This actual condition survey was conducted primarily through face-to-face interviews after sending prior notification letters, mobilizing the welfare community including welfare planners, the Ddokddokddok Care Team, Neighbor Love Volunteer Group, and community leaders. Unlike last year’s survey which was limited to low-income welfare recipients, this year all individuals identified as socially isolated single-person households, including 1,803 absentees and refusers, were surveyed.

As a result of the full survey, actual condition surveys were completed for 3,179 people, accounting for 53% of the total, and 1,827 of them were connected to customized services after in-depth counseling. These included 227 cases of public benefits, 861 cases of private services such as welfare center connections, 570 welfare checks, and 9 cases of case management.

For example, Mr. A (male), an unemployed middle-aged single-person household suffering from a herniated disc and depression, received livelihood support through Seoul-type emergency assistance. A smart plug was installed to monitor daily activities via electricity usage to prepare against solitary death risk. The Ddokddokddok Care Team conducts 1:1 matching, visit monitoring, and emotional support, and he is receiving psychiatric treatment upon recommendation.

Mr. B (male), who was absent during last year’s survey, lives in the basement of a multi-family villa and had to stop economic activities due to wrist and back surgeries, with no contact with family. The district helped him receive housing benefits and connected him to long-term care through the SOS temporary home care service, providing cleaning, laundry, and side dishes twice a week.

The district plans to continuously monitor 2,090 individuals who were unreachable due to refusal, absence, or non-residence, excluding those who are not single-person households or deceased. Especially for refusers, various methods such as providing daily necessities will be used to reduce resistance and explore ways to build bonds.

Additionally, 1,911 households at risk of solitary death (high, medium, low) will be included as ‘crisis’ subjects for annual monitoring to strengthen oversight. The ‘crisis’ stage, previously targeting welfare recipients, will be expanded to include solitary death risk groups, reinforcing the care network with weekly visits by the Ddokddokddok Care Team, weekly AI welfare check-ins, and constant welfare planner welfare checks.

Projects to build social networks for socially isolated households will also be expanded. Coupons usable at sharing stores will be distributed twice a month to check on welfare and encourage outings, expanding from 10 to 16 neighborhoods. Other programs such as forest healing, cooking, and outings will be enhanced to strengthen bonds and care.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “This actual condition survey was not a formal survey but a process of saving lives with the welfare community working together. We will strengthen the role of the welfare community through the Ddokddokddok Care Team and the Door Watching Project, fill gaps in the welfare network with the Welfare Plus system, and build a dense social safety net.”

Seocho-gu Operates 1:1 Customized ‘Digital Counseling Center’ for Seniors

District Runs Digital Counseling Center for Seocho-gu Seniors Aged 55 and Over Starting This Month

1:1 Customized Education on Essential IT and Digital Device Usage... Helping to Cultivate Smart Seniors

Counseling Held Every Tuesday and Thursday at Seocho-gu IT Education Center... 50 Minutes per Session, Available by Reservation

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced that starting from the 7th of this month, it is operating the ‘Seocho-gu Digital Counseling Center’ for seniors aged 55 and over who have difficulties using IT and digital devices in daily life.

Established this year, the ‘Seocho-gu Digital Counseling Center’ provides 1:1 customized counseling and education on how to use IT and digital devices and related information to help seniors become ‘smart seniors.’

The counseling covers essential real-life topics such as ▲internet use ▲creating and editing Hangul and Word documents ▲smartphone usage ▲kiosk operation, addressing questions and concerns. Additionally, if seniors attend classes at the Seocho-gu IT Education Center, supplementary lessons are available for parts that were difficult to understand or require review.

The ‘Seocho-gu Digital Counseling Center’ operates every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Use of the counseling center requires prior reservation via Naver reservation system, phone, or visiting the Seocho-gu IT Education Center (4th floor of Banpo 1-dong Community Service Center). Each session lasts 50 minutes. Individuals can apply up to twice a month and a maximum of 20 times per year.

From the 7th to the 16th, all sessions were fully booked early, showing high interest from seniors. Common inquiries during counseling included ▲how to sign up and search on portal sites ▲how to use the LH subscription center app on smartphones ▲how to use public transportation route finders ▲how to shop and pay using smartphones.

One senior who received counseling said, “I tried to learn video editing on my smartphone through online lectures, but my slow hands made it hard to keep up. Having a professional instructor teach me step-by-step 1:1 right beside me helped me understand quickly. I will use the digital counseling center often from now on.”

Meanwhile, the district is making multifaceted efforts to improve IT and digital literacy among information-vulnerable seniors. These include ▲level-based customized IT courses at the Seocho-gu IT Education Center for seniors (30 regular courses, 32 special lectures) ▲‘Visiting Informatization Education’ where instructors visit 17 community centers and senior welfare facilities ▲‘Smart Senior Competition’ showcasing seniors’ IT knowledge and skills ▲‘IT Convergence Special Lectures’ using VR, drones, 3D printers, and more.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “We will continue to do our best to provide diverse and specialized IT welfare services so that digital underprivileged groups, including seniors, are not left behind.”

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