Muju County is expanding community-based welfare services beyond routine home cleaning to include measures aimed at preventing solitary deaths and providing emotional support.
On the 14th, the county announced it will operate the "2026 Home Cleaning Project for Low-Income Elderly Living Alone," targeting about 200 low-income single-person households in the area through November. The field-centered program is designed to improve living conditions and prevent infectious disease while strengthening safety nets for vulnerable older residents.
Officials say the program differs from previous efforts that focused on one-time disinfection or cleaning. Instead, staff will make repeated visits to manage living environments and verify residents' well‑being. The county plans to visit each household three times a year to provide indoor disinfection using eco-friendly sanitizers and pest-control services.
The program also includes cleaning refrigerators and range hood filters, organizing interiors and removing waste to reduce triggers for common home-related illnesses such as respiratory and skin conditions. Because many older adults living alone struggle to maintain hygiene without help, the county expects the initiative to produce tangible benefits for both health management and emotional stability.
During visits, staff will check on residents' welfare as well. Beyond cleaning, the county intends to identify socially isolated individuals early, spot signs of crisis and connect them with appropriate welfare services. Local welfare practitioners say on-site, visit-based support has become increasingly important as the number of elderly single-person households rises and the need to prevent solitary deaths grows.
Park Eun-jung, head of the Elderly Welfare Team in Muju County's Social Welfare Division, said, "This program is designed to assist seniors who find it difficult to maintain their homes because of physical or financial hardships. We will provide careful support not only to ensure cleaner living environments but also to alleviate depression and improve quality of life." She added, "We will also check on residents during visits as we work to build a stronger, more comprehensive welfare safety net."
Meanwhile, Muju County plans to continue expanding close-to-home welfare services for vulnerable seniors, including integrated-care housing improvements, tailored elderly care services, assistance for bathing and grooming costs, and free meal programs for low-income homebound older adults.
