[Report] "Seniors First in the Heat Wave"... Life Support Workers Caring for Vulnerable Elders

One Support Worker Cares for 16 Seniors' Health and Meals
Home Visits Continue Despite Scorching 35-Degree Heat
"I Feel Proud to See Positive Changes in the Seniors"

On the afternoon of the 11th, Seonaeja, a life support worker, visited the home of Shingukil in a one-room village in Wolsan-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju, and had a conversation. Photo by Min Chanki

"If you spend all day outside in this heat wave, you feel like you might collapse, but you can't rest if you want to look after the health of elderly people living alone."

On the afternoon of the 11th, when the daytime high exceeded 35 degrees Celsius, in the one-room village area of Wolsan-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju.

In the scorching heat, Seonaeja, a 63-year-old life support worker, shielded herself from the sun with a parasol in one hand as she hurried from house to house of elderly people living alone, who are left in the welfare blind spots.

Now in her seventh year as a life support worker, Ms. Seon provides close-contact services for elderly people living alone and other vulnerable seniors, including welfare checks, emotional support, life education, and linking them to household and welfare resources. She is responsible for 16 seniors in the Wolsan-dong area, most of whom have lived alone in small rooms for several years. She spends about 20 to 40 minutes with each senior. Since she had to visit six seniors just on this day, she walked around the Wolsan-dong area, sweating profusely without a break.

Shingukil, a 77-year-old senior whom she visited that day, has been receiving her support for over three years. In Mr. Shin's home, only a fan was running, making the place feel like a steamer. Although there was an air conditioner and a TV, Mr. Shin tried to save on electricity bills by only using the fan during the summer, so dust had accumulated on the appliances. When Ms. Seon entered the house, dripping with sweat, Mr. Shin looked embarrassed and only then turned on the air conditioner.

As soon as she saw Mr. Shin, Ms. Seon carefully checked his health, including his chronic illnesses, and whether he had eaten. Mr. Shin covers his living expenses through a senior job program, but since he saves most of his income, he sometimes skips meals. For this reason, checking on the health and meals of seniors during heat waves has become essential.

For Mr. Shingukil, whose daily routine is saving money, Ms. Seon emphasized, "The government will soon provide consumption coupons, so you must use them," and only left the house after receiving his assurance that he would use them to buy food and daily necessities.

Ms. Seon said, "Most of the seniors do not want to rely on others, so I have no choice but to take care of things meticulously, like side dishes and laundry," and added, "It is unfortunate that the side dish support provided by Gwangju City as part of integrated care has been reduced from twice a week to once a week, with the quantity also decreasing, in order to expand the number of beneficiaries."

She continued, "Households like Mr. Shingukil's in this area have become even more isolated as redevelopment has been confirmed for the neighborhood," and explained, "He endures the heat wave by walking along the Gwangjucheon area. He can't go to the senior center because of the unwelcoming atmosphere, and I wish there was a space where he could rest and feel at ease."

On the afternoon of the 11th, miscellaneous items are piled up at the house of Won Samsil in Wolsan-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju. Photo by Min Chanki

The next senior she visited, Wonsamsil, 82, receives basic living subsidies but still donates to five organizations, including Good Neighbors and UNICEF, by dividing up her monthly living expenses. In Ms. Won's house as well, the air conditioner was nothing more than a decoration, and the gas had recently been cut off due to unpaid bills, so a portable burner sat on the stove. Because of the stuffy indoor air, her main living space was the narrow corridor in front of her house, about 30 centimeters wide. Ms. Won sighed, "Every day is a battle to survive the heat wave. This year, the heat seems to have started earlier than last year, so I'm even more worried."

The earlier onset of the heat wave has deepened Ms. Seon's concerns. Ms. Won spends her free time picking up cigarette butts and cleaning up the neighborhood, but Ms. Seon is always anxious that something might happen. On this day as well, Ms. Seon repeatedly reminded her, "Whenever you go outside, make sure to take your mobile phone so you can contact someone at any time."

Ms. Seon said, "In the one-room village area, there are no trees for shade, shelters, or public restrooms, so after walking around all day in the heat, you feel completely drained," and added, "Some seniors living alone occasionally suffer from depression, but after years of being their companion, I feel proud to see them change, and that keeps me going."