Tan Kin Lian - Perspectives Old people living alone
We read about people who live alone and die in their homes, without being noticed for several days or weeks by their neighbors.

I carried out a survey to ask if some program should be organized to take care of these people. 85% of the replies (total of 287 votes) supported this idea. 10% said that the frail old folks should be sent to care homes and 5% wanted to leave them alone. 

39% said that the old folks should join social groups to take care of each other. 24% said that a social worker should be employed to take care of a group of old people. 22% said that technology should be used to give an alert when the resident has not moved for one day. 

I think that all three programs should be combined. The old people should be encouraged to join a scheme. A sensor is installed in their home to alert the control center when the resident has not moved for 24 hours. The social worker can then contact a neighbor to check the well being of the resident. If the resident is sick and not able to get up, the social worker at the control center can alert a neighbor to visit the resident. 

The social worker can also help to organize the social group comprising of the residents living close together. 

I am still developing this concept and thinking of how it can be funded. 

Tan Kin Lian 

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