Dobong-gu Mayor Oh Eon-seok Receives Applause for Encouraging Reclusive Residents to Shop

Dobong-gu Steps Outside Together with Reclusive Case Management Clients through ‘Shopping Together’

50 Reclusive Case Management Clients and Integrated Case Managers Purchase Daily Necessities Together

Visits to Marts and Traditional Markets Provide Opportunities for Community Reintegration

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, is receiving applause for undertaking a task that is not easy to accomplish.

Dobong-gu announced that, in celebration of Family Month, it has launched the ‘Shopping Together’ program from May 8 for two weeks, where reclusive case management clients and integrated case managers visit marts and traditional markets to purchase daily necessities and groceries together.

This program is part of the ‘Dobong Healing School’ project, designed to reduce the risk of solitary death among reclusive case management clients and support their social reintegration through building interpersonal relationships.

The program is held twice, during Family Month and the Chuseok holiday, times when warm communication with family becomes even more essential.

First, the district selected 50 individuals from the integrated case management clients who live alone in reclusive conditions or are isolated, thus facing a high risk of solitary death.

Before the activity, the selected participants create a list of necessary items, then, together with their integrated case managers, they directly purchase daily necessities or groceries at nearby marts or traditional markets, experiencing consumer activities within the community.

After purchasing items, participants share their impressions to alleviate reluctance toward social activities and find motivation for social reintegration.

A reclusive case management client is grocery shopping together with an integrated case manager.

A district official stated, “The trust built through projects supporting social participation of isolated vulnerable groups and the efforts of case managers act as a catalyst to draw reclusive case management clients back into society.”

A participant, Ms. A (79, female), who has joined the Shopping Together program for the past three years, said, “Due to old age and other reasons, I was completely cut off from the outside world with no outdoor activities. However, through participating in the Shopping Together program over the past three years, I have gained the courage to communicate with the world, and now I even visit the nearby senior welfare center’s free meal service on my own.”

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “Support needs vary greatly depending on the circumstances and environment of vulnerable groups. For isolated individuals, it is more important to help them come out into the world and express their needs directly than simply providing material support. The Dobong Healing School started from this perspective, and realizing customized welfare that considers the situations of our residents is exactly the companionship with the vulnerable that Dobong-gu aims for. We will continue to strive to work together with all residents.”

Since 2020, the district has been promoting the ‘Dobong Healing School’ project to prevent solitary deaths and support social reintegration of reclusive case management clients.

In addition to ‘Shopping Together,’ major programs include ▲Shared Kitchen Program, which provides opportunities to acquire daily living skills and communication, ▲Organizing and Storage Program, which supports improving living environments through tidying up, and ▲Healing Programs, which assist with self-understanding and stress management.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.