'Visiting Rural Care' Service: Government and Women's Agricultural Organizations to Identify Households Vulnerable to Mental Health Issues

Checking for Crisis Signs During Meal Sharing and Household Support
Proactive Identification of Those at Risk of Falling Through the Cracks

The government, in collaboration with women's agricultural organizations, has decided to proactively visit rural residents in need of care, check on their well-being, and identify households facing mental health crises.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will work with the National Association of Rural Housewives, which operates in 142 cities and counties nationwide, to promote early identification of rural residents requiring care.

The Asia Business Daily DB

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs explained, "Rural areas are experiencing rapid super-aging and population decline, resulting in a higher proportion of elderly single-person households. Additionally, the low population density leads to dispersed residences, making it difficult to respond quickly in the event of safety accidents."

Accordingly, the Ministry is pursuing collaboration with rural-based organizations like the National Association of Rural Housewives to proactively identify those who might fall through the cracks and connect them with necessary services.

The National Association of Rural Housewives is a women's agricultural organization rooted in rural communities, with 37,038 active members (out of 62,489 registered members) operating in 15 provinces, 142 cities and counties, and 830 towns and townships nationwide. Its main activities include the Hope Dream Volunteer Corps, meal sharing (Chanchanchan), free agricultural waste collection campaigns, and support programs to help multicultural families settle in rural areas.

Starting this year, the Ministry, in partnership with the National Association of Rural Housewives, will newly focus on identifying households at risk of mental health crises and will strengthen activities such as regular check-ins and heatwave response.

First, during meal sharing and household support activities, the Association will also carry out life-saving initiatives. The National Association of Rural Housewives participates in the government-wide Life Keeper initiative led by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, and as of April 24, it was designated as a "Cheonmyeongsuhocho" (National Suicide Prevention Agency).

In carrying out life-saving activities for elderly people in rural areas, the Association will distribute mental health information and contact details for relevant agencies to households they visit for daily care. If signs of crisis are detected during these activities, they will quickly refer individuals to basic suicide prevention centers (41 nationwide) or basic mental health welfare centers (245 nationwide), as appropriate.

During the peak heat season, the Association will check on elderly households especially vulnerable to heatwaves, providing guidance on recommended times to stay indoors and locations of cooling shelters. Working with Nonghyup, they will also distribute heatwave response supplies such as cooling scarves and cooling wipes to strengthen efforts to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Han-Young Jeon, Director-General of Rural Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "Members of the National Association of Rural Housewives are neighbors who know rural residents well and have earned their trust. Through this collaboration, we hope to ensure that no rural resident in need of help is overlooked."

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