Jemulpo-gu District (Mayor Kim Chan-jin) in Incheon has moved to improve the living conditions of vulnerable households struggling with compulsive hoarding, a condition in which people are unable to throw things away and keep accumulating them. The district said it carried out a project called "Clean House" to clean, organize and disinfect the homes of these households.
 [The Korean Today] Site of housing environment improvement project for hoarding households © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The project is more than a simple top-to-bottom cleanup. The district first restores living spaces through cleaning, organizing and disinfection services. It then links the households to integrated case management to support follow-up care and a return to daily life. As the project is being carried out as part of efforts to prevent loneliness and social isolation, it has a clear welfare policy character.
Compulsive hoarding cannot be viewed simply as a matter of personal habits. Accumulated belongings can worsen hygiene and increase the risk of fire, and in many cases lead to conflicts with neighbors or isolation from the outside world. Because such households find it difficult to ask for help on their own, it is important for the administration to reach out and intervene first.
The district provided the service to 18 households last year. This year, it plans to expand the program to about 20 households and carry out cleaning in sequence. As the project continues year after year, the number of households receiving support is also growing.
Residents who received help also shared their reactions. One recipient said, "Because of my physical discomfort, I couldn't even think of doing anything and just kept piling things up, but I sincerely thank you for transforming it into such a pleasant home." The remark shows that the administration's help made a practical difference for households that could not bring themselves to tidy up alone due to health or physical limitations.
Jemulpo-gu District Mayor Kim Chan-jin said, "This cleaning of hoarding households goes beyond simply cleaning up the living environment; it is a starting point for residents' emotional recovery and return to daily life." He added, "Going forward, we will actively link not only housing environment improvements but also emotional recovery programs, providing close support so that residents can fully regain their daily lives."
To prevent belongings from piling up again after cleaning, ongoing management and psychological support must follow. The district's emphasis on linking integrated case management with emotional recovery programs can be read as an intention to go beyond one-time cleaning and bring about real change in residents' lives.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
Become a Local Ambassador Apply as Branch Director The Korean Today — Nam-Incheon
 |
<저작권자 ⓒ 코리안투데이(The Korean Today) 무단전재 및 재배포 금지>
