<Anchor> The
number of loners who end their lives alone while cut off from the people around them is increasing, especially since Corona 19.
In particular, help is urgently needed for the disadvantaged and the elderly.
Reporters Hong Seung-yeon and Nam Jeong-min report in turn how they are doing and what kind of support they need.
<Reporter Hong Seung-yeon>
Mr. A, in his 60s, who enters a house with the lights out alone, has been living alone for over 20 years.
He had been making a living by running a store on his own, but he had to put a stop to COVID-19, and he even suffered from severe depression.
[Mr. A: I just miss people, people…
I miss people more than money.
We can talk and talk to each other...
.]
The situation is similar for Mr. B in his 60s, who is blind and has a brain lesion.
After the corona crisis, even outside gatherings, which were comforting, were suspended.
[Mr. B: I was disappointed.]
[Park Mi-ok/Social worker: My mother did something like a group choir for the blind.
You've been alone all your life...
I was most upset when I said I couldn't go there.]
Due to the prolonged Corona 19, the isolation of the elderly living alone has deepened, and the risk of dying alone also increases.
In December of last year, in an officetel in Seo-gu, Busan, a man in his 70s living alone was found three days after his death, and in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul last month, an elderly man in his 70s was found 10 days after his death.
[Special cleaner: It felt like (death of loneliness) increased a lot.
It's been a while since Corona.
It's just sad and lonely (Yes.)] The
number of unrelated deaths who died alone but had no connection or gave up taking over the body even if there was a connection was 6,09 people in the two years after the Corona 19 incident, an increase of 21% compared to the previous two years.
Nearly half of them are over 60 years old.
<Reporter Nam Jeong-min>
Last month, a man in his 60s who lived alone in a gosiwon in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul was rescued in a life-threatening condition.
It was thanks to the discovery of the gosiwon operator who had been paying attention to the anomalies.
[Gosiwon operator: I haven't eaten rice since 2-3 days ago.
I got this feeling...
Not eating properly and not being active.
(I opened the door) Two-thirds of my body was on the ground like this and my neck was like this.]
It was helpful to have a community center and an emergency contact network and to receive prior education on the danger of lonely death.
Although non-face-to-face communication has become commonplace, face-to-face meetings are desperately needed by the elderly in vulnerable groups.
However, about 3,400 senior senior citizens facilities were closed in Seoul alone.
[Nam Il-sung/Professor of Social Welfare Department, Sungkonghoe University: All the facilities the elderly go to are blocked and it is in this shape, so the mental health field can be seen as completely, just defenseless.]
The welfare workers who inspect the site have become busier.
You have to say hello at the front door and turn around, but you can't skip one-on-one visits.
[Seol Bok-shim (74 years old): When someone comes, I feel calm, and it is good when I talk.
When I come here, I feel calm and good, but I don't want to eat rice when I'm alone.
I'm going to be depressed, really.
Sometimes I cry a lot.]
The number of local governments distributing smart devices to single elderly households is also increasing.
[(It is the time to take medicine for the elderly.) Okay.]
The caring robot acts as a companion, and the motion sensor detects movement in real time.
[Mr. Wei (80 years old): If I don't move, I don't think I'm dead.
So, if the (welfare worker) teacher sees that, he will know whether I am alive or dead, and I always feel reassured.
I feel more at ease.] The
problem is that there are many cases of people at risk of dying of loneliness who are reluctant to expose or provide support, which creates a blind spot.
[Song In-joo/Senior Research Fellow, Seoul Welfare Foundation: The more anonymous the city is, the more the local community network is neglected.
(In many cases) It is the neighborhood, not the dong community center, who first identifies and discovers dangerous people.]
It has been over a year since the Law for Prevention of Solitude and Death came into effect, but only research services have been ordered to investigate the situation.
The Prevention of Lonely Death Act can only be effective when it has a strong public system that identifies and supports those at risk and encourages active participation of the local community to take care of the underprivileged.
(Video coverage: Jung Kyung-moon, Yoon Hyung, Video editing: Park Chun-bae, VJ: Kim Hyung-jin)