Japan's loneliness epidemic is leading elderly women to choose prison

These poor ladies having to exist in a consumerist culture like that.

I feel bad for them, and us.

Japan's old-age security payments are reasonable. But if you can't find a sense of community, you are losing your closest friends every year it is easy to feel alone. Being forced into someplace with a group where your basic needs are cared for and something to do is a decent sounding alternative. Though if there was decent enough community programs, group accomodation (some are choosing to live in with others like a college dormhouse instead of a longterm care home) then some of these problems could be prevented.