Advance Funeral Arrangement Intent Form Submission for Low-Income Single-Person Households... Welfare Planners Manage Contacts for Emergencies and Deaths... Pilot Operation in Cheonho 2-dong and Gangil-dong with Intent Form Registration and Well-Dying (Death Preparation) Education to Expand to All Districts Next Year
Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Su-hee) is operating the nation’s first “Pre-arranged Funeral Supervisor Intention Management Project,” which allows low-income single-person households to designate a person to oversee their funeral in advance and register this information in the Social Security Information System, receiving positive responses from residents.
Ensuring No Death Is Neglected... The First Autonomous District to Manage Pre-arranged Funeral Supervisor Intentions
Recently, cases of public funerals being held have increased when basic livelihood security recipients die without relatives or when relatives refuse to take custody of the body. In April, a 58-year-old basic livelihood security recipient named Kim, who lived alone, was found deceased at home. Despite contacting his mother, siblings, and nephew, all refused to take custody of the body, which was kept in a hospital morgue for 33 days before a public funeral was held.
To prevent situations where dignity after death is difficult to maintain due to solitary death or unclaimed bodies, the “Act on Funeral Services, etc.” was amended in March this year to expand the scope of funeral supervisors for unclaimed deceased persons. Even if not a relative, a person who maintained a long-term and continuous friendship before death, participated together in religious or social activities, or was designated by the deceased through a signed document can now oversee the funeral ceremony if desired.
Accordingly, Gangdong-gu launched the nation’s first “Pre-arranged Funeral Supervisor Intention Management Project” in May. Targeting basic livelihood security recipients aged 60 or older living alone who wish to participate, the project involves completing a pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form to identify in advance whether there are family members or acquaintances to contact in case of medical emergencies or death, and whether there is someone to conduct the funeral or dispose of belongings.
This allows contacting the identified relatives in advance to prepare the funeral in case of death or emergency. If relatives refuse or avoid taking custody of the body or are unable to handle funeral arrangements, a public funeral can be promptly prepared.
In Cheonho 2-dong, where the pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form was first accepted as a pilot operation, over 40 residents had applied by the end of August. A welfare planner in Cheonho 2-dong said, “Many residents feel reluctant due to associations with ‘death’ when guided to complete the pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form, so we actively provide well-dying education and guidance on organizing affairs before death.” She added, “I felt a sense of fulfillment as a welfare planner when I saw a resident showing dementia symptoms, who had lost contact with family, submit the form together with an acquaintance.”
The district plans to systematically manage the submitted pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention forms by registering them in the Social Security Information System (Happiness e-um) and working with welfare planners at community service centers to quickly verify relatives and assist with post-mortem arrangements in case of emergencies or death.
How to Accept Death... Well-dying (Death Preparation) Education
In June, the Cheonho 2-dong Community Service Center held a well-dying education program called “Starry Night.” To ensure a dignified end of life, the district, together with Gangdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, conducted awareness improvement education on pre- and post-mortem organization services for basic livelihood security recipients aged 60 or older living alone. During the session, it was shared that “preparing well for death is only possible by living well,” and guidance was provided on completing advance medical directives.
An advance medical directive is a document in which a person pre-decides and records their wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment (medical procedures to maintain life) to respect their medical decisions and dignity when unconscious or unable to communicate.
Mr. Park, a senior resident of Cheonho 2-dong who participated in the education, said, “Through the education, I was able to reflect on my life and think about how I should live. I had thoughts about life-sustaining treatment but didn’t know what to do, so the education was helpful.”
The district, in cooperation with Gangdong Senior Welfare Center, continuously provides information on the purpose, effect, and withdrawal procedures of advance medical directives and supports their completion.
Gangdong-gu, the First Autonomous District to Support Pre-mortem Organization Services
Gangdong-gu was also the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts to start the “Pre-mortem Organization Service Support Project.” Last year, a tripartite business agreement was signed between the district, social welfare centers, and social enterprises to support will writing and asset organization for basic livelihood security recipients. Additionally, a system was established to prevent third parties from owning residual assets such as rental deposits that were difficult to dispose of in cases of unclaimed deceased persons. Through an agreement with the Seoul Social Welfare Public Law Center, professional legal review and litigation are being pursued.
This year, as part of the pre-mortem organization service support project, the district is newly conducting the pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form completion, well-dying awareness improvement education, and providing information and support for advance medical directives. Furthermore, the district plans to continue supporting inheritance asset management and deceased body storage fees for low-income unclaimed deceased persons.
Starting with Cheonho 2-dong, Additional Operation in Gangil-dong Selected... Expansion to All Districts in 2024
The district decided to pilot the pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form and other pre-mortem organization services in Gangil-dong following Cheonho 2-dong. Pilot neighborhoods were selected based on the number of low-income single-person households aged 65 or older.
Accordingly, from September, the district will recruit willing basic livelihood security recipients aged 65 or older living alone in Gangil-dong to complete the pre-arranged funeral supervisor intention form and participate in well-dying awareness improvement education.
Depending on this year’s results, the district plans to expand the program to all neighborhoods next year and promote a “Visiting Advance Medical Directive Counseling Center” project in cooperation with Gangdong Senior Club.
Lee Su-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “Maintaining human dignity and value is a right for all of us. We will do our best to implement Gangdong-style welfare that encompasses the entire life cycle so that the precious lives of our residents are never neglected.”
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