Nowon-gu, Emergency Rescue for 97-Year-Old Elderly Living Alone Practicing Active Administration

Discovery and Rescue of Crisis Situations for Self-Selected Welfare Blind Spot Unaffiliated Elderly Living Alone
All Staff Recognize the Importance of Visiting Welfare through Proactive Administration
Continuous Efforts to Eliminate Welfare Blind Spots with Initiatives like 'DdokDdokDdok Care Team' and 'Designated Gate Monitoring Day'

Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it has rescued an elderly person living alone with mental and physical disabilities and no family ties through active efforts to eliminate welfare blind spots.

The elderly person rescued on May 30 was 97 years old (born in 1927) and had recently experienced a decline in health, requiring assistance from those around them. However, as they had no family or relatives nearby due to lack of connections and exceeded the financial asset criteria, they were not eligible for protection as a recipient of the National Basic Livelihood Security, placing them in a typical welfare blind spot.

However, the Junggye 2 and 3-dong Community Service Centers in Nowon-gu had been independently selecting candidates and conducting home welfare visits to address welfare blind spots. The rescued elderly person was also selected as a home visit candidate due to their advanced age and deteriorating health.

After selecting the candidate, visits were made more than four times a week. To provide meals for the elderly person, cooperation was secured with the Peace Comprehensive Social Welfare Center to deliver lunchboxes daily, and a communication network was established to contact the center if lunchboxes were left for more than two days.

While continuing home welfare visits, recent signs of danger were observed in the elderly person, prompting the district officials and nursing hospital staff to visit and recommend hospitalization. However, as there was no response from the elderly person, forced entry was made accompanied by police and firefighters. The elderly person, who was severely weakened and had difficulty communicating, was found, and two officials accompanied them to the hospital to assist with administrative procedures.

Considering that the elderly person would still require care after discharge, the district established follow-up support measures in cooperation with local nursing hospitals and welfare institutions.

Meanwhile, the district operates various initiatives to eliminate welfare blind spots, including the ‘Nowon Toktoktok Care Team,’ a resident-led public-private cooperative care model where neighbors care for each other to prevent solitary deaths and discover welfare blind spots; the ‘Gatewatch Day,’ held twice a month where community leaders directly identify households in crisis; and ‘Welfare Plus,’ a re-examination system for those deemed ineligible for basic livelihood security living expenses.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok stated, “The rescue of this elderly person demonstrates the importance of continuous attention to neighbors in need and the significance of cooperation among various welfare institutions,” adding, “We will continue to establish a meticulous Nowon care system through active identification and support of welfare blind spots.”