A lifeline to save isolated households
Check your well-being 3240 times per year
Andong City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is strengthening its welfare network to resolve the problem of isolated households and blind spots in welfare, which have become chronic ills of modern society.
The city announced on the 18th that starting this month, it will begin in earnest to implement the ‘Safety Care Postal Service’ to detect households in crisis in the region early and establish a systematic support system.
This project is significant in that it goes one step further than the existing administration of simply delivering goods and incorporates the mobility of post office delivery workers who are familiar with local conditions and travel to every corner of the alley into the welfare network. Postmen regularly visit target households to directly deliver mail containing daily necessities and check on the recipient’s well-being.
Postmen do not simply deliver packages or letters, but also serve as honorary social welfare officials who closely monitor the recipient’s health, nutritional level, and signs of abnormalities in the living environment.
During the visit, if a crisis situation or danger signal is detected, such as the subject’s poor health or mail being left unattended for a long period of time, the postman will immediately notify the city. After receiving the report, the city conducts on-site verification and provides customized welfare solutions optimized for each household’s situation, including emergency welfare support, linkage with medical services, and input of public and private resources.
A total of 180 households were selected for support this year. Regular visits will be held twice a month, every other week. In one year, the safety confirmation network is in operation for 3,240 cases. This month, we are also delivering bundles of daily necessities such as shampoo and socks, which are essential for daily life. The city plans to focus its administrative power on identifying households at risk of isolation through material support.
In fact, the safety monitoring postal service is showing concrete results. During the pilot operation last year, 250 households were monitored twice a month, and a total of 124 public and private services were linked. In some households in dire crisis, precious lives were saved thanks to the quick reporting of postmen and the immediate response of the city.
A city official said, “There are still blind spots that are difficult to reach with the traditional welfare system alone,” and added, “Through close collaboration with local organizations such as the post office, we will build a tighter welfare safety net and ensure that no citizen is left behind.”
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