Are you lonesome tonight.

Last Thursday on the front paper of the Ilford Recorder we heard the tragic story of the man found dead in his home after 3 days. The poor man had few visitors in the latter stages of his life and lived alone for quite some time. His body was found after the emergency services were alerted by a carer after 3 unsuccessful visits to his home and a statement that he saw "something" lying on the floor.

Tragically the number of people dying alone is increasing in this country and sometimes there is a disturbing length of time before, bodies of the deceased are found.

This care worker looking after Danu Bhagwant probably provided him with some comforting company in a Rather lonely world. And his persistence in pursuing the emergency services, when there was no response to his visits is commendable.

Perhaps, however it is a good time for the local council and government to recognise the growing concern about the quality of life for people living alone and reporting measures. Better training for care workers would provide more rapid response to incidents of this nature, better community reach out programmes, such as schools children visiting lonely elderly people will improve quality of life for many. A long term strategy is required to build stronger family units and friendship circles and as the population grows council's will have to ensure that they have the funds set aside for the council funded funerals a lack of "next of kin" will inevitably entail.

What I fail to understand is why this person did not have a lifeline link and if he did why it was not used. Lifeline is a free service available to elderly and disabled people that provides a rapid channel for communication alerting people of someones need for emergency services. Perhaps Social services should be more rigorously promoting the existing scheme....?