Lonely elderly vulnerable

The deaths of an elderly couple in Shanghai, who took their own lives, have once again highlighted the problems faced by many elderly residents in the country.

The couple, both aged 85, opened the gas and set fire to flammable substances inside their house. They were burned to death before firefighters could put out the fire and rescue them. The couple, who each had children from a previous marriage, married in their 50s. They posted a note on the door of their home a few days before they committed suicide, expressing thanks to their neighbors and saying "it's time to go".

Had their children, neighbors and community staff paid more attention to the elderly couple, their deaths might have been prevented.