By Simon Lauder - ABC NEWS AU
The Federal Government will be asked to take greater responsibility for elderly people who live alone (file photo) (ABC TV)
A shocking case in Sydney, where a man died in his apartment and was not found for a year, has prompted calls for more attention to be paid to the welfare of elderly Australians.
The Federal Government will be asked to take greater responsibility for elderly people who live alone.
The NSW Department of Housing has suggested governments can only do so much and neighbours are in a much better position to regularly check on elderly residents.
But the Council on the Ageing (COTA) says society has changed and neighbours can not always be relied on any more.
It took an overflowing mailbox for neighbours to start asking around about the 64-year-old Department of Housing resident at Yagoona in Sydney's west.
Police broke into his apartment on Tuesday, but believe he died up to a year ago.
It has been more than a year since the NSW Department of Housing moved to address the problem.
In 2006, three elderly people were found in their homes, more than six months after they had died.
The department is still setting up the telephone check-up service it promised.
The dead man in the most recent case was still paying his rent through direct debit and Housing NSW Director-General Mike Allen says he did not have a phone.
"We do have a responsibility to check on tenants aged over 60 on a reasonably regularly basis, but we can't take the place of family, friends or neighbours who would reasonably be in contact with somebody on a far more regular basis than a landlord can," Mr Allen said.
'A sad reflection on society'
COTA says it is deplorable that someone's absence can go unnoticed for a year.
Deputy director Dr Geoffrey Bird says it is a sad reflection on society.
"I'm 60 and I recall when I was growing up that the neighbours were friendly," he said.
"We didn't live in each other's pockets, but we certainly knew what was going on. We shared little social events."
Dr Bird says back in those days, if someone was not around, it would be days - not weeks - before someone noticed.
And COTA says with 6 million Australians aged over 50, the problem is not about to go away.
Dr Bird says the Federal Government's role in aged care should be extended to courtesy calls and regular monitoring of older people.
"If an older person has a problem for any reason, they [could] simply press a button and a call centre calls to say, 'do you need the police? Do you need the ambulance?" he said.
Dr Bird says there could also be regular check-up calls, which he claims is not an expensive service.
"I just think a federal approach or a national approach is more appropriate, given that it is a national problem that people are being left as long as a year before they are discovered dead," he said.
"Rather than have a slipshod state-by-state approach, a national approach, I believe, is more appropriate."
SOURCE: ABC NEWS AU
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A sad reminder that more and more such cases are reported every year. The government of every nation should do something; the suggestion of government providing courtesy calls or monitoring should be considered.
Individuals who live on their own, should make sure that they can contact someone if they needed help. More importantly, they should stay "connected" with someone in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately, society has changed. Most of us value our independence and may even enjoy the solitude. Perhaps, we should be more realistic and put in place some action plans for times when we really need assistance. We all cannot be superman or superwoman at all times.
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