Ahead of Seollal Holiday, Songpa-gu Our Neighborhood Care Team Focuses on Preventing Solitary Deaths

Focused Management of High-Risk Solitary Death Households in the Era of Single-Person Households... 69 Members of Our Neighborhood Care Team Begin Activities
▲ Weekly Check-ins ▲ Strengthening Emotional Support by Helping Form Social Networks

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) is appointing 69 members of the '2024 Songpa-gu Our Neighborhood Care Team' to start activities aimed at preventing solitary deaths caused by the increase in single-person households and aging population.

Our Neighborhood Care Team is a project where local residents directly care for and manage socially isolated households. Since its inception in 2021, the 'Songpa-gu Our Neighborhood Care Team' has been working to build a dense welfare safety net by preventing solitary deaths through forming social networks for marginalized neighbors and connecting them with necessary welfare services.

Last year, Songpa-gu successfully prevented solitary deaths in single-person households through the Care Team's activities.

A (89-year-old female) living in Pungnap 1-dong, a single elderly household, was hospitalized due to a stroke and was in a dangerous state with severe underweight at less than 36 kg caused by nutritional imbalance. However, after discharge, she is currently recovering her health thanks to the Care Team's active care. The team checks weekly via phone and home visits to ensure there are no inconveniences, provides care services by a caregiver five days a week, and connects welfare services such as balanced nutrition support with New Care meals, attentively looking after the elderly's daily life.

B (67-year-old) living in Wirye-dong, a low-income single-person household, had been staying at home without any outdoor activities due to deteriorating health. However, encouraged by the Our Neighborhood Care Team, B participated in programs for single-person households such as planting companion plants and emotional camping, which helped alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation, according to feedback.

Especially this year, with the trend of single-person households increasing to over 30%, the team is focusing on intensive management of households at risk of solitary death to prevent such incidents.

Care activities will be conducted targeting 16 neighborhoods with many vulnerable groups and households at risk of solitary death (Pungnap 1-dong, Geojeo 1 & 2-dong, Macheon 1 & 2-dong, Bangi 2-dong, Ogeum-dong, Songpa 1 & 2-dong, Seokchon-dong, Samjeon-dong, Garak Bon-dong, Garak 2-dong, Jangji-dong, Wirye-dong, Jamsil Bon-dong).

Based on local interest and volunteer experience, 69 selected members of Our Neighborhood Care Team will directly ensure the safety of about 3,500 socially isolated households from January to December through regular monitoring (visits, counseling, phone calls) of households at risk of solitary death, discovering welfare blind spots, and connecting welfare services.

Additionally, in cooperation with welfare communities such as the Dong Happiness Fence, activities to help residents form social networks will be conducted. In Ogeum-dong, a cooking class for middle-aged and older single-person households who have difficulty preparing meals alone received great response from residents. In Wirye-dong, programs such as gardening, movie watching, and camping workshops were evaluated to help participants resolve social isolation and form emotional stability.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “Human safety nets like Our Neighborhood Care Team, composed of local residents, are expected to greatly help prevent solitary deaths.” He added, “We will continue to communicate closely and care for vulnerable groups facing social isolation and economic difficulties through Our Neighborhood Care Team, doing our best to create a Songpa-gu without care blind spots.”

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