Person living alone in Singapore wonders how to inform others in future that they have passed away
A Reddit post by a Singapore resident living alone has sparked a discussion online after they asked how someone without family at home can ensure others know if they pass away.
The candid question quickly drew attention, with many netizens sharing ideas on managing so-called “lonely deaths”.
Redditor worries about dying unnoticed at home
The question was shared on the subreddit r/askSingapore on 7 Mar.
In the thread, the Original Poster (OP) said they expect to grow old single and are concerned about dying alone in their flat without anyone noticing.
Calling it “lonely deaths”, the OP said these were situations where individuals living alone pass away in their homes and remain undiscovered for days or even weeks.
Lonely Deaths as Singles – How to Let Others Immediately Know You've Died?
byu/Adventurous-Power666 inaskSingapore
“We’ve all seen the rising trend of people dying unnoticed in flats until neighbours smelled something’s off,” the OP wrote.
“I know I’m gonna grow old single, but I don’t want to pass away only to trouble the trauma cleaners a few days later,” they added.
OP shares ideas they have considered
The Redditor also listed several ideas they had come across to prevent such situations.
One suggestion was wearing a fall detection device or tag that alerts a next-of-kin when the wearer collapses.
Source: Victoria Lifeline
The OP also thought of placing a calendar outside their front door and crossing out each date daily.
If the markings suddenly stopped, neighbours passing by might realise something was wrong.
“That way, even if I’m unconscious or dead, and a neighbour happens to pass by and notices the uncrossed dates don’t match the day, at least they’ll know something’s amiss,” they explained.
Netizens suggest ways to avoid dying unnoticed
The post quickly drew responses from netizens who suggested various ways to check in on those living alone.
One commenter proposed sending daily “good morning” WhatsApp messages, similar to what many elderly people already do with friends.
Source: Reddit
Another commenter suggested using the viral “Are You Dead?” app that requires the user to check in every two days to confirm that they are alive.
Source: Reddit
Some also recommended arranging for a friend or relative to check in weekly.
Source: Reddit
One netizen shared that the Singapore Red Cross offers Home Monitoring and Eldercare (HoME+), a 24/7 non-intrusive alert and response system that helps seniors stay safe at home.
Source: Reddit
OP surprised by apps for those living alone
The 37-year-old OP, who requested to be anonymous, told MS News that they “can’t help but think more about mortality with the recent news about lonely deaths and trauma cleaning”.
This was exacerbated by the rising number of singles dying alone, which the OP believes they may eventually become a part of.
Source: Singapore Red Cross
“I’m pretty sure there are others who will be in the same scenario as me, and I wondered if the local Reddit community knows how to prepare for their eventual deaths,” the OP said.
The OP shared that they did not expect the “innocent question” to gain traction so quickly.
The OP added that they were “genuinely surprised” to learn that apps and monitoring systems for people living alone already exist.
Calls for more public awareness
The OP felt that better public education on ways to prevent such deaths, especially among the elderly, could ease the gloom surrounding our ageing society.
“There may be a market for budding entrepreneurs too, as I’ve discussed with a Redditor,” shared the OP.
The idea would involve a service where companies regularly call subscribers who live alone to check on their well-being.
“If a call goes unanswered, the company will then send someone to verify that they are safe,” the OP said.
Also read: 2 elderly men found dead over 2 days in MacPherson & Tampines, no foul play suspected
2 elderly men found dead over 2 days in MacPherson & Tampines, no foul play suspected
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