Following the death of an elderly woman in her Dakota flat, Ms Gho Sze Kee, Member of Parliament (MP) for Mountbatten SMC, has shared her thoughts on the issue of “lonely passing”.
She hopes to build a “kampung spirit” within the community, so it’s “much harder for people to be forgotten”, she said.
Source: Gho Sze Kee on Facebook
In a Facebook post on Wednesday (29 Oct), Ms Gho said she was informed that a 77-year-old resident of hers died alone in her flat along Old Airport Road.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
The MP noted that she had done house visits at the deceased’s block a few months ago.
However, the woman was not home that evening.
Source: Google Maps
On Friday (24 Oct), she was found dead at home “only after some time had passed”, Ms Gho said, adding:
Sadly, this is not the first case of a lonely passing that I have come across.
She also maintained that such “lonely passings” would become more common as more elderly people are living alone.
While technology can be useful, Ms Gho acknowledged that it has its limitations.
For example, tech solutions like the current trial of a remote monitoring system, which sends out an alert upon the detection of unusual inactivity, are “imperfect”, she said.
One of the obstacles is privacy concerns, as some seniors may be resistant towards the idea of being monitored in a “big brother way”, she observed.
With that in mind, society should decide whether to make such systems mandatory and who should get them installed, the MP noted.
Instead, Ms Gho emphasised the importance of a “vital support network” within a neighbourhood.
Ultimately, the human connection is irreplaceable — which is why she always talked about building up the kampung spirit, she said.
Source: Gho Sze Kee on Facebook
She cited a Chinese saying, “远亲不如近邻” — a close neighbour is better than distant relatives.
While a new “neighbourhood check-in programme” would be coming up soon, Ms Gho cautioned that it is impossible for the system to catch every single case, and “even our most dedicated activists” cannot cover every door daily.
Thus, it can succeed only if the community “steps up” as well and offers “a little more care and friendship” to their neighbours, she said, adding:
We may never be able to prevent every single lonely passing, but we certainly can help prevent many lonely lives.
Also read: 75-year-old woman found dead in Bedok North flat after visiting relatives detect foul smell
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Gho Sze Kee on Facebook and Shin Min Daily News.