Providing Galbijjim and More to Over 32,000 Elderly
Part of Low-Income Senior Meal Support Program
In celebration of Parents' Day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to serve special meals such as galbitang (beef short rib soup) and jeon (Korean pancakes) to approximately 30,000 low-income elderly citizens.
On the 7th, Seoul announced that on Parents' Day, the 8th, it will offer special dishes and desserts like rice cakes and fruits to low-income seniors, featuring foods that were previously difficult to provide due to high costs or complex preparation processes. Special meals will be provided to about 32,000 people eligible for the 'Low-Income Senior Meal Support Project.'
The special meal menus will be autonomously decided by the senior meal centers and institutions delivering lunch boxes and side dishes. The city prepares special meals for seniors seven times a year, including Parents' Day, Lunar New Year, Chuseok, and the hottest days of summer (Boknal).
Seoul's Low-Income Senior Meal Support Project is a program that provides free meals six times a week at senior meal centers for seniors aged 60 and over who are financially struggling or have unavoidable circumstances causing them to skip meals. For seniors with mobility difficulties, lunch boxes are delivered directly seven times a week, and for those who have some mobility but can cook at home, side dishes are delivered twice a week.
In particular, customized healthy lunch boxes are provided to seniors who have difficulty eating regular meals due to chronic illnesses. These include chronic disease diets (low sugar, low sodium) and kidney disease diets (protein-restricted). A dedicated nutritionist visits every two months to check health and nutritional status and provide consultations on hygiene management and meal methods. Currently, five districts (Yongsan, Nowon, Eunpyeong, Mapo, and Gangdong) support 335 seniors with 'health-type meals,' and the results show improvements not only in the seniors' health and nutritional status but also in psychological health indicators.
As the number of applicants for meal services increased due to aging, leading to long waiting lists, the city launched a pilot project in October last year designating 'Senior Companion Restaurants' within the region. Currently, four districts (Dongdaemun, Dongjak, Gwanak, and Yeongdeungpo) are running the pilot, serving 250 seniors. The Senior Companion Restaurant program provides meal cards (check cards) allowing seniors to visit preferred restaurants at their desired times and have meals five times a week (8,000 KRW per meal).
Jung Sang-hoon, Director of Seoul's Welfare Policy Office, said, "Balanced meals become essential as people age. In honor of Parents' Day, we have prepared special meals with respect for our seniors. We hope they enjoy the food, and we will continue to promote various policies to support the healthy and happy lives of our elderly citizens."
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