Neighbour Saved 70YO Lady After Realising She Did Not Collect Her Meals

Being stuck in your house for weeks on end can drive anyone insane.

Since most of us live with our family members, the circuit breaker forced us to be in close proximity to our siblings, parents, or partners.

And while we loved them when we only saw them 2 hours a day, living with them now seems unbearable.

But what if you lived all alone? What if there’s no one to speak to or share your troubles with?

Or, most importantly, what if there’s no one to call when your life is in danger?

Neighbour Saved 70YO Lady After Realising She Did Not Collect Her Meals

When the police entered 70-year-old Mdm Goh’s flat, they found her weak and semi-conscious.

She was unable to move.

The ambulance soon arrived and Mdm Goh was rushed to the hospital for a thorough health check.

The authorities may have been too late were it not for a good samaritan across Mdm Goh’s house.

According to the Silver Generation Office (SGO), a concerned neighbour had called SGO because Mdm Goh had not been answering her phone or door to collect her food deliveries.

“Mdm Goh’s neighbour alerted SGO as she was worried when Mdm Goh did not answer her door or phone during meals delivery. We have known Mdm Goh for many years and had also connected her to some neighbours to keep a lookout for her.”

SGO, a government organisation that reaches out to senior citizens, rushed down to Mdm Goh’s house to check if she was ok.

The elderly lady did not answer the door, so SGO called the police.

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When the police managed to get in, they found the 70-year-old lying on her bed semi-conscious.

Fortunately, the ambulance came in time.

“Thank goodness the neighbour contacted us and that help arrived in time!” SGO said.

Measures To Help Those Living Alone

The thought of passing away unnoticed in one’s house is a frightening one, but given the statistics, it may be more common than you think.

An estimated 83,000 elderly residents will be living alone by 2030, reported CNA, compared with the 47,000 seniors aged 65 and above in 2016.

In addition to the risk of social isolation and depression, there is also the risk of dying alone, as certain emergencies like strokes and heart attacks make it difficult to call for help.

This is why the government has put in place several measures to reduce the number of lonely elderly deaths where bodies are undetected.

This includes:

1. Reaching out to seniors proactively to check on their well-being  – Silver Generation Ambassadors (SG Ambassadors) conduct regular home visits to residents living alone to assess their health and social needs, and inform them of the various government policies and schemes to support them.

2. Social support – To combat the risk of social isolation, community befrienders visit seniors at least twice a month, supplemented with phone calls.

There are also programmes like the “Neighbour Cares” one in Jurong East, where resident volunteers keep a lookout for any visible signs of distress from vulnerable seniors in neighbouring units.

3. Emotional and Financial support – Seniors who have weak social support or complex social-health needs will also be provided financial support as well as basic emotional support and coping strategies.

If you know or live near someone who’s living alone, it’d be a good idea to check in on them every once in a while. A call would suffice because of Circuit Breaker, though.

And if you notice something amiss, or if you know any seniors or caregivers who need assistance, you can call the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) hotline at 1800 650 6060.

As Mdm Goh’s kind neighbour shows, a little concern and a simple call can save someone’s life.

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