Record-Breaking Heatwave... Mapo-gu Takes Care of Residents' Health Through Direct Visits

Visiting Nurse in Mapo-gu Checks Health of Vulnerable Households Including Elderly Living Alone and Mobility-Impaired
Safety Confirmed for Targeted Elderly at Mapo Senior Welfare Center and Mapo Elderly Care Integrated Center

As unprecedented heatwaves and tropical nights are affecting the daily lives of the entire nation and causing various impacts across society, they are becoming a social issue, especially as they pose life-threatening risks to vulnerable groups.

In response, Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) is visiting the homes of vulnerable groups in the area, such as elderly living alone, those with mobility difficulties, and chronic disease patients, to check on their health directly.

When a heatwave advisory is issued, the Mapo-gu Public Health Center sends guidance messages via SNS and mobile text to visiting nurses in each neighborhood. Upon receiving the message, the visiting nurses visit vulnerable households to monitor their health and provide personalized counseling.

Additionally, they educate on rapid response methods and first aid for emergencies such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, distribute promotional materials for heat-related illness prevention, and provide protective supplies to support a safe summer. If visits are difficult due to absence, they confirm well-being via phone calls and make every effort to protect these individuals.

Furthermore, visiting nurses conduct health management education to respond to heatwave situations at senior centers and welfare centers.

Alongside this, the Mapo Senior Welfare Center and Mapo Senior Care Integrated Center have life support workers visiting or contacting by phone the homes of 1,809 elderly care service recipients to ensure their safety and encourage them to refrain from outdoor activities.

Moreover, Mapo-gu operates a task force and heatwave countermeasure headquarters on a regular basis for heatwave situation management, promoting heatwave preparedness guidelines for residents through SNS, outdoor electronic billboards, and Mapo TV.

They also operate 177 cooling shelters for the elderly and 76 Mapo shade shelters, support bottled water for mobile workers, provide cooling cost assistance for vulnerable groups, and conduct various activities to prepare for the heatwave, such as lowering road temperatures using water trucks in cooperation between public and private sectors, covering main roads as well as alleyways.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “We are concerned about the health of residents due to the continuous heatwave,” and added, “Mapo-gu will thoroughly prepare for the heatwave so that residents can safely get through the remaining summer.”