Why Is Seongbuk-gu's 'Care Service' Praised as Better Than Having Children?

To Prevent Isolation and Solitary Deaths Due to COVID-19, Actively Identifying Care Blind Spots in the Community... Filling Care Gaps Through Seongbuk-style Care SOS Center When Emergency Care Is Needed

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Mr. ㄱ (83), an elderly resident living alone in Wolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, recently underwent hip surgery due to a fall. After being discharged and returning home, he could not expect help as his children live in the provinces, and he had difficulty with meals and using the restroom. The local welfare planner, who usually communicated with Mr. ㄱ, judged through a home visit consultation that care was needed and referred him to the Care SOS Center. Currently, a caregiver has been dispatched to Mr. ㄱ’s home to provide daily convenience services such as cleaning, meal preparation, and hospital accompaniment, taking care of him.

Mr. ㄱ expressed, “I couldn’t move my body and had no family to help me, so I was just waiting for the day I would die, but thanks to everyone’s help, I am regaining my health and feel like I have been reborn.”

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Seungro Lee) has rolled up its sleeves to prevent isolation and lonely deaths caused by COVID-19.

With the resurgence of COVID-19 increasing the likelihood of isolation and winter lonely deaths, Seongbuk-gu is actively identifying and supporting blind spots in local care.

Since December last year, the district has been checking on individuals living alone or those needing health checks due to illness through local welfare planners, welfare councils, and welfare community leaders, providing care services to households in need to fill care gaps.

In particular, the Seongbuk-type Care SOS Center plays a significant role in filling care gaps by supporting households that urgently and suddenly require care, like Mr. ㄱ.

The Care SOS Center targets elderly, seniors, disabled persons, and middle-aged residents over 50 who have difficulty moving alone or performing independent daily activities, lack family members who can provide care, or whose families cannot provide care, as well as those excluded from public care services.

The services provided by the Care SOS Center include four customized care services: ▲temporary home care ▲short-term facility care ▲meal support ▲information counseling. From February this year, accompaniment support and residential convenience services will be additionally expanded.

To this end, service providers are being recruited from the 11th to the 15th of this month.

Seungro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, “This winter will be especially difficult for vulnerable groups due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and cold waves,” adding, “Seongbuk-gu is making every effort through the Care SOS Center to ensure no care blind spots occur, and above all, interest in marginalized neighbors is the beginning of eliminating care gaps, so I ask residents to come together with their hearts.”