CNN
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Korea has a problem. Thousands of people, mostly middle-aged and isolated, die alone each year, often going undetected for days or weeks.
This is ‘godokusa’ or ‘lone death’, a widespread phenomenon that governments have tried to combat for years as the population ages rapidly.
Under South Korean law, a “lonely death” is defined as a person who has been separated from family and relatives and lives alone and dies by suicide or illness and whose body is found after a “certain period of time.”
The issue has gained national attention over the past decade as the number of lonely deaths has risen. Factors behind this trend include the country’s demographic crisis, social welfare inequality, poverty and social isolation. All of these have become more pronounced since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, the country recorded 3,378 deaths, up from 2,412 in 2017, according to a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services last Wednesday.
The ministry’s report was the first since the government enacted the law. Lonely death prevention management law This will require updating every five years to help establish a “Policy to Prevent Lonely Deaths”.
Lonely deaths affect people of different demographics, but reports showed that middle-aged and older men appear to be particularly at risk.
In 2021, 5.3 times more men will die alone than women, up from 4 times more than before.
People in their 50s and 60s accounted for 60% of solitary deaths last year, with many in their 40s and 70s. 6 to 8% of those in their 20s and 30s.
The report does not mention possible causes. But the phenomenon has been studied for years as authorities try to understand what causes these lonely deaths and how to better support vulnerable people.
South Korea’s legislative research agency pointed out, “We need to proactively deal with lonely deaths in preparation for a super-aging society.” news release Earlier this year, it added that the government’s priority was to “rapidly identify cases of social isolation.”
South Korea is one of several Asian countries, including Japan and China, facing a declining population.
The country’s fertility rate has been steadily declining since 2015, with experts blaming a variety of factors, including the demands of the work culture, rising costs of living and stagnating wages, for putting people off parenthood. At the same time, the workforce is shrinking, raising concerns that there won’t be enough workers to support a rapidly growing number of older people in areas such as healthcare and home care.
Some of the consequences of this skewed age distribution are becoming apparent, with millions of older people struggling to survive on their own.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, as of 2016, more than 43% of South Koreans over the age of 65 were below the poverty line. This is more than three times her national average for other OECD countries.
Song In-joo, a senior researcher at the Seoul Welfare Center, said that when middle-aged and older Koreans are excluded from the labor and housing markets, their lives “worse rapidly” and this becomes “a leading cause of death.” writing. 2021 Study on Lonely Death.
The study analyzed nine lonely death cases and conducted in-depth interviews with neighbors, landlords and case workers.
In one case, a 64-year-old worker died of alcohol-related liver disease a year after he lost his job due to his disability. He had no education, no family, not even a mobile phone. In another case, an 88-year-old woman suffered financial hardship after the death of her son. She died after the senior welfare center she attended, which offered free meals at the start of the pandemic, closed.
“Difficulties expressed by those at risk of lonely death before they died were health problems, financial difficulties, disconnection and rejection, and difficulties managing their daily lives,” Song wrote. .
Complicating factors included delayed government support and a “lack of home care” for people with serious and chronic illnesses.
The 2021 survey results were also reflected in a report by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which found that many at-risk people, especially those who were “unaccustomed to health care and household chores, could lose their job or get divorced, resulting in lower levels of life satisfaction.” are declining rapidly,” he said. ”
Many of those who took part in the 2021 survey lived in subdivided apartments called jokbans, where residents often share communal facilities, and bunjihas, which made headlines earlier this year when families were trapped and drowned. They lived in small, dingy spaces, such as basement apartments called. Record heavy rain in Seoul.
Major cities like Seoul are known for their high housing prices, so these apartments are some of the most affordable options available. I also run the risk of doing so. According to a 2021 study, these housing structures are “already criticized as slums…and stigmatized.”
“Solitary death (housing concentration) is of concern because it may be another hallmark of the poverty subculture,” Song wrote.
Growing public concern about lonely deaths has prompted various regional and national initiatives over the years.
2018, Seoul metropolitan According to news agency Yonhap, the government has announced a “Neighborhood Watchers” program. In this program, community members visit single-person households in vulnerable areas such as basements and subdivisions.
Hospitals, landlords, and convenience store staff act as “watchmen,” alerting community officials when a patient or regular customer has been absent for an extended period of time, or when rent or other payments have been delinquent.
Several cities, such as Seoul, Ulsan and Jeonju, have rolled out mobile apps for people living alone that automatically send messages to emergency contacts if the phone has been idle for a period of time.
Other organizations, such as churches and non-profits, have also stepped up outreach services and community events, holding funerals for the deceased who have no one left to claim or mourn.
The Lonely Death Prevention and Control Act, passed last year, is the latest and most comprehensive measure to date, mandating local governments to develop policies to identify and assist at-risk populations. I was. Apart from producing a five-year status report, the government was also required to develop a comprehensive prevention plan, which is still ongoing.
In another study published in November, Song recommended that authorities build more systems to help those trying to get back on their feet, including middle-aged and older education, training, and counseling programs.
of news release Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong added to Wednesday’s report that South Korea is working to “become like other countries, including the UK and Japan, which have recently launched strategies to deal with lonely deaths.”
“This analysis is a meaningful first step for national and local governments to address the crisis of new welfare blind spots responsibly,” he said.
