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S. Korea: Gov’t Lays Out Measures to Support Seniors Living Alone |
| Source: |
world.kbs.co.kr |
| Source Date: |
Friday, May 11, 2012 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
Korea (Republic of) |
| Created: |
May 15, 2012 |
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The Health and Welfare Ministry on Friday announced a set of comprehensive measures to support senior citizens who live by themselves. The government believes the growing number of the elderly holed up alone is causing a slew of social problems.
Jobs will be first provided to the elderly and those currently working will have their employment terms extended.
The ministry will survey every single senior living alone in the country each year regarding their income, health, residence and social relations. The information will be made into a database to enable the systematic management of this demographic.
Some 540-thousand seniors lived alone in 2000. This more than doubled to nearly one-point-two million this year and is expected to top three-point-four million in 2035. As of this year, a fifth of all seniors aged 65 and above in South Korea live alone.
Their fast growing number is believed to be due to an increase in single and divorced households and also because more aging parents do not wish to live together with their children.
As more elderly people are developing senile dementia, the ministry will run dementia checks on seniors above 75 who live alone. Other chronic diseases will also be examined through home visitation medical services. A manual on conducting funerals will also be distributed.
The ministry has laid out a number of other measures including installing fire and gas leak sensors at the homes of solitary seniors. They will also receive emergency beepers in the form of a necklace or bracelet. Volunteers will contact them from time to time to see how they are doing. A comprehensive support center for these seniors will also be built and a program in which seniors themselves assist and care for one another will be expanded. Helpers of the elderly will also be trained to prevent the aged from taking their own life.
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S. Korea: Gov’t Lays Out Measures to Support Seniors Living Alone The Health and Welfare Ministry on Friday announced a set of comprehensive measures to support senior citizens who live by themselves The government believes the growing number of the elderly holed up alone is causing a slew of social problems
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