Many people increasingly die at home alone globally, leading to concerns. According to multiple sources including the BBC and CNN, around forty thousand people died at home alone in Japan during the first half of 2024. But Japan is not the only country where the number of people dying at home alone is rising. It is increasing in many other countries in Asia, Europe and other regions including, but not limited to, South Korea, the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, where the number of aging people is rising because of several reasons including advancements in medical technology. But how much the increase in dying alone at home can be reduced in different countries remains unclear.
It is notable that there are living conditions-based and other reasons for the rise in dying at home alone in different countries. Living alone, sudden health emergencies and accidents at home are crucial causes. In several countries including Japan, Germany and South Korea, the rise in the number of people living alone is the main cause of the rising deaths at home alone. Living alone — especially living in a single-person household — results in social isolation and decreased opportunities for any help or intervention in critical situations for many especially elderly people. Additionally, a lack of access to immediate medical assistance in case of emergency and the inability to seek help due to ill health lead to dying at home alone for many. Among others, the absence of social networks increases the likelihood of dying at home alone in many countries.
The governments, along with non-government organizations, have taken community support-based and other steps, leading to positive outcomes. Different countries implement wellness checks initiatives for vulnerable populations, provide resources and promote community support services and take steps to improve the accessibility to emergency response systems with the aim to ensure that individuals living alone receive the support needed to stay safe and connected. Wellness checks or health visits have increased early detection and provided timely interventions in different countries including, but not limited to, the United Kingdom and Japan for people living alone at home. Many governments also provide increased funding for mental health services and promote awareness campaigns to raise awareness of the risks of living alone.
Though the steps of the governments have positive outcomes, there are resource-based and other flaws in different countries. There remains limited coverage of services, inadequate funding for the programs aimed at supporting individuals living alone and limited access to mental health services for individuals living alone in different countries. Additionally, there is ineffective communication and coordination between different agencies to ensure that individuals at risk are identified and provided with the appropriate resources and assistance that they need. Among others, there is a failure to address the underlying social causes that contribute to isolation and vulnerability among elderly populations, such as poverty and lack of community support systems.
Given that the number of people living home alone is rising, and will probably increase in the future, in different countries because of many causes including changing societal norms, an increase in urbanization and prioritizing independence by more people, the government steps need to be strengthened to provide improved services and ensure that individuals receive the care and assistance — needed in times of crisis. Putting emphasis on implementing wellness checks for, and/or regular phone calls to, individuals living home alone with improved monitoring mechanisms and improving the availability of services to more people living home alone may be helpful in many countries.
It is difficult to address the problem of dying at home alone by the government alone. The increased role of non-government organizations and private organizations is vital. Emphasizing creating partnerships with local organizations and businesses to provide resources and assistance to those isolated at home can help ensure that individuals are not left without necessary support in many countries. But steps are crucial to promoting the norms of parents living with children in many countries.
