Senior Centers were created to provide a social outlet. I wish more people would support them and volunteer.
They can be a lot of fun with exercise classes,card games, bingo, movies and dances. It does require someone that’s healthy enough to go out and participate.
From the article.
Police and the Health Department received numerous calls from neighbors reporting the condition of the property as well as a strong order shortly after the woman went missing.
I presume “order” is a typo.
We delivered Meals on Wheels for ten years to a local senior housing building. Each floor had someone who would knock on doors each day to make sure people were okay. It worked most of the time, but there were several instances when we arrived at the door and ended up calling 911 because either someone had fallen or was in the midst of a health emergency. I’m sure there are MOW volunteers who have discovered deceased people, as a lot of the delivery locations are of the “knock, then enter” type.
I used to bring my neighbor meals from a local cafeteria. She always enjoyed talking for a few minutes. She passed away a few years ago.
We lost that cafeteria during covid. A lot of seniors ate there. It was a complete meal and more nourishing then a burger or other fast food.
I don’t think one necessarily has to be a recluse or hoarder for their death or disappearance to go unnoticed for some time. As you said, people get very busy and very focused on their own thing. Like if I didn’t have a wife and kids and lived alone, it might take some time for people to notice I disappeared. Everything is virtual these days so I don’t have a “work” to not show up for. I tend to see friends and family inconsistently these days. There are a number of bars, restaurants, and coffee shops where I’m a regular they know by name, but no one is going to lose sleep if they don’t see me for a few weeks. I imagine it would be a lot like Paul Allen in American Psycho. Everyone sort of thinking they just saw me post something or assuming I’m traveling for work or work assuming I’m doing something else for some other client or whatever.
My folks live independently (for now) in a CCRC in North Carolina but if the fridge door doesn’t get opened by 11am when they know they’re not traveling, they’ll get a call to check in.
I’m not entirely clear on how they are monitoring the fridge door though
Likely with a system somewhat similar to this: