
- 22 January 2025
- |Change
Do you ever wish all the messages would just stop? How many times in the last hour has your phone demanded your attention with the buzz of a new WhatsApp notification or the electronic chime of yet another email dropping into your inbox?
For so many of us, the reality of modern life is one of being in almost constant contact with other people. This of course can be a good thing, but so frazzled have our brains become by the age of hypercommunication that some even seek freedom from the tyranny of technology by going on ‘digital detoxes’; retiring to a yurt in the woods, our smartphone deposited in a basket on the way in.
In an era of mass communication, where solitude is occasionally sought after, it can be difficult to understand that there are actually an increasing number of isolated, lonely and disconnected people in our society.
Sadly, the hidden, harsh truth is that in far too many cases these people may die alone, with their bodies forgotten for days.
Probably 500+ people left for 5 or more days
For evidence we need look no further than a Freedom of Information Act request sent to 196 local authorities with social housing asking for figures on undiscovered tenant deaths between 2019 and 2023.
Of the 190 authorities which responded, 38 reported 134 undiscovered tenant deaths of two days or more over the last five years, with 22 being left for five to 10 days. Disturbingly, 27 people were left for over 10 days.
Properties owned by these 38 local authorities represent less than six per cent of the total of approximately 4.1 million social housing properties nationally, when we include those owned by housing associations (excluding Northern Ireland).
If we multiply the number of deaths per property by the total, it is possible there could have been over 1600 tenant deaths in social housing alone over the past five years where the residents have been left undiscovered for two days or longer.
Potentially over 500 of these people may have lain undiscovered for more than five days.
Surely, as I have written before there can be no more harrowing indictment of our society than the number of isolated people who die alone.
Nearly every instance of an undiscovered death is a sad end to a lonely life.
It also represents a life which may have been saved if only that person had a support network around them.
Why are people becoming more isolated?
For those of us who live in almost constant contact with others via our digital devices, it is easy to presume this is the case for everybody.
Our older or vulnerable neighbour may not get out much, but surely they are communicating with others via their computer, smartphone or tablet?
In fact, many people have become extremely isolated in our society. Here are some of the reasons why.
The rise of digital communication – For many ageing and vulnerable people, the very technology that connects the rest of us is exactly what shuts them out.
For every ‘silver surfer’ on the web, there are a lot more who either cannot use or cannot afford a digital device. As the world goes online, they are left behind.
Less contact with family – People are now more likely to move away either for work or study, meaning it becomes more difficult to maintain contact with elderly relatives who are unwilling or unable to travel.
Pace of life – As people’s lives become increasingly busy (often due to the increasing time demands of technology), they feel as though they have less time to devote to checking on relatives or interacting with neighbours.
Decline of face-to-face services – Banks and Post Offices are closing their branches as they move services online. It is increasingly difficult to get GP and dental appointments. Even supermarket checkouts are self-service.
All of these represent missed opportunities for people to have regular, friendly interactions with other human beings.
Automated payments – The rise of automated payment systems means that even if somebody dies or becomes incapacitated their direct debits will continue. In some cases of undiscovered tenant deaths housing providers have presumed that someone is OK because they have continued paying their bills.
Fewer opportunities to socialise – Reduced funding for social services in local authorities over the past 20 years has seen a decline in organised activities for older and vulnerable people.
A mission to tackle undiscovered deaths
If you had told me 20 years ago that I would spend so much of my life working with social housing providers I would have looked at you with bemusement.
However, today my company Alertacall has tens of thousands of customers living in social housing provided by about 60 organisations.
Alertacall began on the back of my invention of the OKEachDay button to make sure my own grandmother, Eveline, was safe and well – and that everything was okay at her property.
Initially, I began marketing the invention as a way for other families to ensure that regular contact was made with their own relatives on those days they could not establish that themselves.
It soon became clear that Alertacall could also make a profound difference to a large and growing group of people; those who are older and vulnerable and living in social housing.
One of the company’s big breaks came with a project to install the service for several hundred older people living in a housing association in East London.
I duly set off to visit each and every one of our new customers in person, in their homes, to show them how to use the service and learn a little about their lives. I can truly say this was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.
Among the many things I learned early on was that stories of people dying and being left undiscovered for days in social housing were common. However, when I raised the issue at the time there were very few housing providers willing to have an open conversation about it.
One of the greatest sources of satisfaction for me and my team over the last 20 years has been that we know for a fact that our service has saved lives and been directly responsible for rescuing people who are unwell or incapacitated in their homes. Also, that we have encouraged around 60 housing providers to do something about it.
Sadly, this has been accompanied by an ongoing dismay at the number of stories in the media of those who die and lie undiscovered for days on end, in some cases for months or even years.
The dismay is shot through with frustration at the fact we have a straightforward solution which could help avoid many of these heartbreaking stories.
Creating a guide for social housing providers
Although Alertacall can help housing providers maintain greater two-way contact with their residents to avoid undiscovered deaths (as well as provide a host of other benefits), I am not going to pretend it is the only solution.
There are many different actions which can be taken to address the issue, but which will also simultaneously improve residents’ lives in so many other ways.
I am very glad to say there have been a number of occasions over the last 18 months where Alertacall has run events specifically to get senior representatives from the sector together to discuss the issue.
I have also had a number of private conversations with Chief Executives and Senior Leaders who are full of their own ideas.
The result is that I have begun 2025 determined to continue the mission to tackle the problem of undiscovered deaths by working with the housing sector and drawing on the expertise, knowledge and care of all those involved.
As a first step, I have distilled the main themes and ideas from the discussions we have had into a guide, which will shortly be shared with decision makers in key organisations across the UK for their comment and input.
I will also publish a copy of it, when it is out of the draft phase – here on this blog.
This guide is intended to be a conversation starter and I would urge everyone to read it when it becomes available, share it, digest it and, please, do come back to me with any feedback and ideas you may have.
I will be updating the guide every 12 months as we work together to continue keeping people safe and improve the lives of everybody who lives in social housing in the UK.
Keep your eyes peeled for it.
And in the meantime, perhaps just try and reach out a little bit more to the people who live on your street and consider that not everyone is as lucky as to be so connected as you.