Our Neighbour
 

No one had seen our neighbour for 2 or 3 weeks. Concerned, I raise this with the Housing Association. They told me to speak to the Police. I did. A few hours later my door bell rang.Two young police officers told me a body had been found next door. As yet unidentified so they could jot say any more. They took a statement from me and then left, Sad to think that even in a small community like ours, someone can die alone and unnoticed. Is that how I will end ?

Re: Our Neighbour
 

That's so sad Scot. Good on you for alerting the police.

Living alone when older can be worrying. There are a few services here that older people who live alone use, such as one that has volunteers phone each day to say g'day and make sure you're ok. Is there anything available like that in Bute?

Re: Our Neighbour
 

A variety of services like that. For many here family ties are still strong I have no family on the island now, but stay in touch with friends and family by phone,and Skype.

Re: Our Neighbour
 

@scot47

It is sad. I have thought this wouldn't be such a bad way to go for me and I have realized it certainly could be. I would rather it than in hospital or elder care homes tbh.

Certainly here in France if my husband were to die no one would be around. In France I don't even see relatives or friends looking in on the old people, and I've lived in four different towns in this country. I remember when there was that heat wave in Paris so many old people died, enough to make a good sized town, all found in their apartments, alone, by their relatives returning from holiday. I think it was around 40,000 died.

It was the same in the south of Italy. I met so many old women living on their own there, their families didn't visit often. I have to say from a few incidents I saw in France on the streets, it is worse here than in Italy for elderly people, there seems to be very little care or compassion.

The good thing is, what I have seen here in France and also in Italy are many white haired people still going out to do their own grocery shop and managing by themselves.

I'm not afraid to die alone although it would be nice to have a few friends to get together for a cup of tea once in a while before I go. I think it would take me moving back to Italy or an english speaking country to have actual friends.

Take good care of yourself and enjoy your years as much as you can while you have them.

Re: Our Neighbour
 

I like to think neighbours or friends would alert the authorities if I did not show up for the regular "Kaffeeklatsch".

Re: Our Neighbour
 

Well, there you go, no worries.

Wierdly enough, after you writinthis thread, a person across the green space from us was removed from their flat yesterday. First the police came and removed several pieces of furniture, then the ambulance came and quietly removed the body. I don't know what happened and not knowing them we probably won't ever know.