that's exactly how my father died - he was a lonely, bitter, alcoholic with no friends, and his neighbours called the caretaker when the smell got too bad. when I got there (about 150 miles away, after a policeman knocked on my door), I asked about identification, and they carefully told me there wasn't really anything identifiable left. we didn't get on - he was a horrible, horrible man, and deserved to be friendless - but his end still haunts me, after almost 20 years.