Seocho-gu Provides Customized Support for Elderly Living Alone and Homeless During Seol Holiday

Delivery of Lunar New Year Gift Packages

Seocho-gu Delivers Gift Packages and Holds Rice Cake Soup Sharing Event for Elderly Living Alone to Celebrate Lunar New Year

During the holiday period (1.21.~1.24.), a special patrol team for the homeless will be formed to provide protection and support activities focused on areas with high concentrations of homeless people, along with delivering relief supplies for the Lunar New Year holiday

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced that it will undertake various customized support measures to help elderly living alone and homeless people, who are vulnerable to social isolation during the Lunar New Year holiday, enjoy a warm holiday season.

First, the district delivered gift packages containing popular Lunar New Year items such as colorful Garaetteok (rice cakes), rice cake soup sets, meat dumplings, and Sikhye (sweet rice drink) to 1,080 elderly living alone. Dedicated social workers and life support staff visited each household to deliver the gift packages and provided companionship to ensure the elderly did not feel lonely.

Additionally, on the 18th, the Bangbae Senior Welfare Center held a rice cake soup sharing event for 150 elderly people at risk of food insecurity, and prepared and delivered warm side dishes to about 70 households requiring intensive care.

The district also operates both online and offline welfare channels during the holiday period to fill the care gap for elderly living alone. Smart care services incorporating advanced technologies are provided, including real-time safety monitoring through IoT (Internet of Things), the ‘Seoripul AI Safety Call’ where an AI welfare assistant calls to check on the elderly, and the AI care robot ‘Seoripul Bokdong-i’ equipped with a companion function to alleviate depression and provide emotional support.

Furthermore, life support staff will continue to conduct regular welfare checks via phone calls and home visits for 1,514 elderly living alone during the holiday period, ensuring no gaps in the care safety net.

Alongside this, from January 21 to 24, a special patrol team for the homeless will be organized to monitor areas with high concentrations of homeless people near Sadang Station, Isu Station, Gyodae Station, and Express Bus Terminal Station.

The patrol team will provide counseling and health checks for the homeless, encourage admission to protective facilities, and establish a system for emergency hospital transfers in cooperation with the police and fire departments in case of emergencies.

They will also guide homeless individuals to the year-round free meal service ‘Warm Filling Place’ near Seoul Station to ensure no one misses a meal.

Homeless Shelter Support Site

Moreover, the special patrol team will deliver warm Lunar New Year relief supplies containing essential toiletries, cold-weather gear, and holiday foods to support the homeless in having a safe and warm holiday season.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, “We will spare no effort to ensure that elderly living alone and homeless people are not left out and can spend a warm Lunar New Year holiday. We will continue to seek various ways to help neighbors in need who are in welfare blind spots.”