Society has changed from the extended family to the nuclear, from an understanding of community to concern for the individual. Numbers living alone continue to grow and 'dying alone' is no longer a rare occurrence. The problem was examined in depth by the Catholic Peace Weekly— fear of some being in a situation of not 'dying well'.
"I am single and legally have a family, but there is no interaction, so I am virtually unrelated. If I die, it is expected that the body will be left unattended for a long time enough to decompose and produce a foul odor. I don't want to be a public nuisance after I die, and hope that my body will be taken care of quickly after death."
The above words were recently posted on an internet bulletin board—a struggle not wanting to face a tragic death. He contacted the city hall, ward office, administrative welfare center, and social welfare organizations, but the only response was— impossible. No one contacted him, even at the internet cafe where he posted. This is why voices are calling for concern and support for unconnected people not seen by our present welfare system.
Kim's (pseudonym) family was poor. His older brother left home when he was 20, and he lost contact with his older sister after marriage. Kim, who was the youngest of three children, lived with their parents. However, his parents, who were not on good terms, eventually divorced. His father went to a temple and his mother abandoned them. So Kim's family was disbanded. "I have lost my relationship with my family, but I do not want and do not expect to be reconnected."
Kim was preparing for his death because of the changes in his body that came two years ago. He lost weight rapidly and his eyesight deteriorated. He began to prepare not to be miserable. "Death is something that comes to everyone. However, if left unattended for a long time after death, it turns into a miserable scene. It will be difficult for those who find my body. I don't want that. That’s why I want something to be done when I am in good shape. I can't expect my family to hold my funeral," Kim said. But he couldn't find the answer he was looking for anywhere.
Local governments used the budget as an excuse. The social welfare organization considered Kim in the suicide risk group and linked him to the Suicide Prevention Center. Kim said: "There aren't many people like me, but there are some, and they should be taken care of. I think the government or local governments should actively seek out those who are not connected with family."
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of those dying alone without connection with family was 1025 in 2012, 1271 in 2013, 1379 in 2014, 1676 in 2015, 1820 in 2016, 2008 in 2017, 2447 in 2018, 2656 in 2019, and 3,136 in 2020 and steadily increased to 3488 in 2021. From 2012 to 2021, the total number of those dying alone was 20,906, more than tripled in 10 years. In 2021, 2,643 were males, 739 females, and 106 unknowns, 3.5 times higher among males than females. For men, the increase came after 40, and for women, the increase was remarkable in those over the age of 60.
The director of the Well Dying Research Institute, explained: "The four conditions for a good death are to die in a familiar place, family and friends by their side, without pain, and maintaining human dignity until the end. It is important to hold a funeral after death, but it is necessary to pay attention to their lives before death." He added: "There are relatively few resources available to help them when they run into difficulty, so we have to think about how we can help them before they are in trouble."
