Recently, there have been many cases of “lonely deaths” across multiple counties and cities, where a deceased person’s body is discovered long after their passing. As Taiwan approaches the status of a “super-aged” society, the issue of lonely deaths must be earnestly addressed.
According to Ministry of the Interior data, the population of people aged 65 or above had already reached 4,188,314 as of June last year, of which more than 976,000 — approximately 23.3 percent — lived alone. In addition, more than 517,000 people — or 12.4 percent — required care. Examining household structures in Taiwan, the number of households containing one to three people steadily increased from 2018 to last year, while the number of households with a minimum of four people decreased.
This indicates that the number of people per household is decreasing as the population ages. Thus, the number of elderly people living alone or requiring care would likely continue to rise.
A number of factors commonly faced by elderly people living alone — such as mobility or transportation issues — can lead to malnutrition and unwillingness to seek medical care, which often leads to a deterioration of their health. Last year, approximately 130,000 elderly people lived in apartment buildings that lacked elevators, while about 170,000 lived more than 1km from any medical facility. Failure to address these issues would lead to a tragic increase in lonely deaths.
Taiwan must build a stronger social safety net to make up for the traditional role of families in providing physical and mental care for elderly people.
The prevalence of chronic disease among older adults in Taiwan remains high. According to a Ministry of Health and Welfare report from 2021, 85.9 percent of people aged 65 or older suffer from at least one chronic disease, 64.5 percent from at least two, and 43.5 percent from at least three chronic diseases.
Local pharmacies are highly suited to serve as frontline care centers to protect the health of elderly people in their communities. Pharmacists can provide care when elderly people pick up their medications. Depending on their living conditions, they might provide medical advice, recommend nutritional supplements and give medication instructions. When necessary, they could discuss specific medication concerns with doctors, allowing doctors and pharmacists to jointly protect the health of elderly people.
Seniors should also be encouraged to visit pharmacies for regular blood pressure measurements following the “722 protocol” — two measurements twice a day over seven days — thereby building a habit of visiting the pharmacy to measure their blood pressure every morning and evening. This would not only encourage them to monitor their own health, but also to regularly engage with their community and maintain their social skills, achieving the health goals of “aging in place” and “active aging” for elderly people in Taiwan.
Huang Jin-shun is president of the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacist Associations.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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