Fighting Japan’s ‘lonely deaths’

In Japan, some 68,000 people die alone at home every year. Around 80% of people facing these so-called “lonely deaths” are over the age of 65. Thousands go undiscovered for weeks or even months. It’s part of a growing epidemic as the country rapidly ages and more people drop out of society as they get older, which takes a toll on their health. Reporter Rebecca Rosman recently visited one housing complex just outside of Tokyo that has been trying to confront this phenomenon — thanks to the work of one elderly resident.