Former title: The World Health Organization said earlier that loneliness has become a global public health problem

"Lonely death": the tragedy of an aging society (theme)

Liang Fan

In recent years, with the deepening of aging in more and more countries and the loosening of traditional families and social structures, the tragic case of "dying alone" has increasingly appeared in front of the world. How to solve the problem of "lonely death" and the more common loneliness of the elderly behind it are common challenges faced by many governments and society.

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On May 14 local time, the Japanese Police Department released data showing that from January to March this year, about 21716 people living alone in Japan were confirmed to have died at home, including 17034 people aged over 65, accounting for nearly 80%. The Japanese government speculates that the number of "lonely deaths" over 65 years old in Japan may be as high as 68000.

According to the current definition of the Japanese government, "dying alone" means that no one was present at the time of death, and the body was found after a period of time.

Statistics show that the older the elderly are, the more cases they die alone. Among the elderly who died alone from January to March this year, the number of people aged 85 and above was the largest, 4922; The next is 3480 people aged 75 to 79; 2080 people aged 65 to 69 are the least.

It was previously reported that one out of every four elderly men in Japan "died in silence" because no one was around to take care of and accompany them. According to the calculation of the National Institute of Social Security and Population Issues of Japan, by 2040, people over 65 years old living alone will account for more than 40% of Japan's elderly population.

"Lonely death" is most likely to happen to people who are isolated from society and do not have family members or friends to keep in touch with. The elderly, especially the elderly, are the majority. In many countries with serious aging, "lonely death" is not a rare phenomenon.

According to previous reports released by South Korea, there were more than 15000 "lonely death" cases in South Korea between 2017 and 2021, showing an average growth rate of 8.8% in the past five years.

Data shows that in South Korea, men account for the vast majority of cases of "lonely death", more than five times that of women; Among them, men aged 50 to 69 accounted for more than half of the total number of "lonely deaths".

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There are many reasons behind the recurring tragedy of "dying alone". It is generally believed that the deepening of aging, the transformation and loosening of traditional family and social structure, and the health damage caused by loneliness are the three main drivers.

In recent decades, Japan's society has become increasingly aging and childless. According to the data released by relevant Japanese government departments in April, the population of Japan over 75 years old increased by 713000 this year, exceeding 2007 million, breaking through 20 million for the first time, accounting for 16.1% of the total population, the highest proportion over the years. In contrast, the proportion of people under 14 years old is 11.4%, the lowest on record. In addition, Japan's family population continues to decrease. It is expected that the average family population will fall to less than 2 in 2033, and the proportion of the population living alone will increase from 38% in 2020 to 44.3% in 2050.

In the context of aging, the sense of alienation in urban life and the separation of kinship and regional relations caused by the intensification of population mobility make many elderly people live in loneliness in fact.

The Cabinet Office of the Japanese government has carried out a number of surveys on the living conditions of the elderly. The results show that many elderly people do not talk to others or communicate with their neighbors at ordinary times, leading to the inability to seek help in times of difficulty. One in five people believes that "there is no one to rely on in times of difficulty".

In Britain, "lonely aging" is also a common phenomenon. A previous study by the London School of Economics showed that one out of every 10 elderly Britons is in a state of long-term loneliness; More than half of the British elderly over 75 live alone; Among them, more than 200000 elderly people can talk with one family friend at most once a month.

In November 2023, the World Health Organization announced that loneliness has become a global public health problem. According to the Publicity Bulletin: Social Isolation and Loneliness of the Elderly issued by the World Health Organization in 2021, 20% - 34% of the elderly in 25 European countries feel lonely, and 25% - 29% in the United States.

A study published in the American journal Psychological Science Outlook showed that loneliness can reduce life expectancy and quality of life. The death rate of the elderly who often feel lonely increases by 26%. A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Association by researchers from the Duke National University of Singapore School of Medicine shows that if a person starts to feel lonely at the age of 60, his life expectancy will be 5.4 years shorter than that of his peers, his health life expectancy will be 5.9 years shorter, and his self rated health status may be worse.

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In some countries with serious aging, in recent years, from the government to all sectors of society, they are actively exploring how to minimize the occurrence of the tragedy of "dying alone", and provide better living and living environment for people living alone, especially the elderly living alone.

In 2021, the Korean government promulgated the Law on Prevention and Management of Lonely Death, which is updated every five years to establish "policies to prevent 'lonely death'" through systematic investigation, statistical reports and budget formulation.

In May 2023, the relevant departments of the Korean government formulated a basic plan for the prevention of "lonely death", the First Basic Plan for the Prevention of "Lonely Death" (2023-2027), which proposed to reduce the phenomenon of "lonely death" by 20% by 2027.

At the same time, some local governments and social institutions in South Korea have also carried out relevant actions. In 2018, the Seoul Municipal Government announced a "Neighborhood Watcher" program. The plan stipulates that community members should regularly contact and visit lone families. In addition, several Korean cities, including Seoul, Ulsan and Jeonju, have launched mobile phone software for those who live alone. If their mobile phone is inactive for a period of time, the software will automatically send a message to the emergency contact.

In order to alleviate the loneliness of the elderly, British charities launched the "silver line" service. "Silver Line" has people online 24/7, 365 days a year, and they will agree with the elderly to have a "friendship call" once a week; Looking for old friends, obtaining information, providing advice, or just patiently listening, expressing understanding and giving comfort to the elderly who called...... Since its official establishment in 2013, "Silver Line" has received more than 2.5 million calls from elderly people across the UK, about 10000 calls a week.

In Germany, mutual aid pension has become a trend for the elderly in recent years. According to a survey by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, more than half of the elderly in Germany want to share with others. Invite an old friend to rent an apartment for the elderly, which can not only ensure private space, but also facilitate dinner and travel together. It can also share the cost of regular home service of the nursing workers, and help each other's health.