Senior Center Providing Meals 5 Days a Week, 70,000 Won Budget for 30 People per Meal 'Tight' [My Home as a Senior House]

'Three days a week' lunch extended to 'five days a week', budget remains tight
"Eating at the senior center helps me take my medicine and live at home"
"If there were no meals here, I would have gone to a nursing home"

On October 25 last year, grandmothers gathered for lunch at the Namseong Apartment Senior Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

In Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, where ironworks covered in layers of grease stand in a row, there is an apartment that has stood its ground for over 40 years. The faded letters '南星' (Namseong) on the apartment's exterior wall evoke the passage of time. There are only two buildings with a total of 390 households. Between them, a senior center stands like a long-time resident. At noon, grandmothers and grandfathers within the complex gathered in small groups. It was the time when warmth filled the old senior center.

‘3 days a week’ lunch extended to ‘5 days a week’, budget tight

On October 25 last year, Grandmother Min Sunduk and Grandmother Hwang Jeonggyu are moving home after having lunch together at the senior center in Namseong Apartment, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

"I eat lunch here five days a week. If I were alone, I’d just eat rice soaked in water, but here I get a proper meal. Thanks to that, I take my medicine regularly. That’s why I can live alone at this age. When we eat together at the senior center, even bitter things taste sweet."

While eating, Grandma Bang Mi-ok (81) looked at the corded phone in the corner. Grandma Min Soon-duk (76), the president of the senior center, immediately noticed and picked up the phone. "Lunch is ready. Come quickly." Grandma Min said, "There’s a sick grandmother who often loses her mind. Since she doesn’t know mealtime, we have to call her. She’ll be here soon."

On October 25th last year, grandmothers gathered together preparing lunch at the Namseong Apartment Senior Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

That day’s side dishes were bulgogi, seasoned spinach, pickled chili peppers, seaweed soup, and kimchi. Although some elders couldn’t come due to part-time jobs at the district office, about thirty people ate daily. Until July last year, the senior center served lunch three times a week. Following the government policy to 'solve the meal problems of elderly living at home,' the frequency was increased to five times a week starting August of that year.

As always, budget is the issue. Since increasing to five days a week, the senior center has had to tighten its belt. According to Seoul City, when senior centers in Seoul served meals three days a week, they received monthly support of 350,000 KRW from City Hall and between 50,000 to 750,000 KRW from the district office. However, after changing to five days a week, only the City Hall support increased to 470,000 KRW, while the district office support remained the same.

In the end, each senior center receives operating funds ranging from 520,000 to 1,220,000 KRW per month. Calculated on a five-day basis, the budget per lunch is only 20,000 to 60,000 KRW. "At this rate, it’s hard to even pay the meal helpers’ wages," and "We have to eat ramen once a week," are common complaints from the field. As of October last year, about 50% (1,694 out of 3,489) of Seoul’s senior centers operate five-day-a-week lunches.

Still, Yeongdeungpo-gu, where Namseong Apartment is located, is relatively well off. Two years ago, Yeongdeungpo-gu significantly increased the lunch support budget for senior centers. Thanks to this, the budget per meal at Namseong Apartment’s senior center is about 70,000 KRW. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the district office provide 12 bags of rice annually.

As meals increased, Grandma Jang Gil-nyeo (76), who manages the senior center’s finances, became busier. "When we served meals twelve times a month, the side dishes were better, and we could buy snacks, so it was abundant. Now, since we have to prepare meals twenty times a month, we have to tighten our belts. There are many people, so we have to save every penny. Rain or snow, I buy vegetables wholesale every dawn at Yeongil Market."

"If there were no meals here, I would have gone to a nursing home"

On October 25th last year, elderly residents gathered for lunch at the Namseong Apartment Senior Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

Among the elders who come for lunch, grandfathers make up about one in ten. Although they have seen each other’s faces for decades in the same apartment, they feel shy mixing with the grandmothers, so they set up a separate table in a small room of the senior center. "I’ve been living alone for 40 years. For breakfast and dinner, I just have boiled eggs or protein drinks. The only meal I eat is here. If the senior center didn’t provide lunch, I would have gone to a nursing home long ago. I’m grateful," said Grandpa Bang Ki-bong (81), who had already finished his bowl of rice.

After lunch, it’s 'coffee time.' The grandmothers sat around in the room, each holding a paper cup and a packet of coffee mix. Grandma Hwang Jeong-gyu (76), who was on duty that day, poured water from the coffee pot. They stirred and sipped while continuing their chatter. "Even when drinking coffee, everyone has their assigned seat. The oldest sister here, 89 years old, takes the warmest spot. What do we do after finishing coffee? We play Go-Stop with 10-won coins. It’s the best for preventing dementia."

On October 25 last year, grandmothers are having coffee and chatting after finishing lunch together at the Namseong Apartment Senior Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung