Dignity in death: The strangers who accompany seniors on their final journey

In Singapore, a group of dedicated volunteers and social workers are ensuring that no senior citizen dies alone and forgotten. The Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society specializes in providing end-of-life arrangements for individuals with little or no family support, offering a dignified farewell.

Adelina Koh, an eldercare senior executive at the charity, describes her work as a deeply personal, almost daily routine. "No one deserves to be forgotten. Everyone deserves someone in their life during their last stage," she stated. The organization has around 800 volunteers, with 40 specifically trained in afterlife services, stepping in when families are absent.

The need for such services is growing. In 2024, Singapore recorded approximately 87,000 residents aged 65 and above living alone, and while comprehensive national figures on deaths without next of kin are unavailable, social workers report an increasing number of cases. Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society alone handled 330 pro bono funeral cases last year, a significant jump from 106 in 2021. This year's numbers are expected to be even higher.

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No one deserves to be forgotten. Everyone deserves someone in their life during their last stage.

These cases often come from outreach in lower-income neighborhoods or referrals from hospitals and nursing homes. The charity spends an average of S$3,000 (US$2,300) per case, funded by donations and volunteers. Beyond funeral arrangements, volunteers also provide companionship, deliver groceries, and ensure the well-being of seniors, like 70-year-old Teo Ting Pow Chu, who has already made arrangements for her own cremation and wishes for her ashes to be scattered at sea.

Funeral homes are also witnessing this trend, with more cases of individuals dying unnoticed in their homes. Harmony Funeral Care's director, Harmony Tee, noted that deaths are often discovered by neighbors due to lingering odors or leaks. In situations where no family members are available or willing to pay for funeral expenses, funeral homes sometimes provide cremations for free, especially when police or social workers cannot find or convince next-of-kin to act.

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Help me to scatter my ashes into the sea.