Police issue a plea to us all after an elderly couple die unnoticed in their home.

An elderly couple in Palm Beach in Sydney were found dead in their home this week, now police are pleading with the public to take better care of their neighbours.

In a Facebook post, the Northern Beaches Local Area Command (LAC) said the “fiercely independent” couple had passed away unnoticed as their next of kin live overseas, and sadly, none of their neighbours noticed the couple weren’t around.

The police believe the husband, who cared for his blind and disabled wife, died first and the wife then passed away as she would not have been receiving adequate care.

“The couple consistently refused aged care assistance and medical support but were coping with their challenges,” they wrote.

The Northern Beaches LAC said there was no suspicious circumstances in the deaths, but they serve as a reminder that we need to take better care of our elderly parents and neighbours, and think about "what we can do as a community and as individuals to prevent a recurrence of this terrible event".

According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies there has been a sharp increase in the number of elderly people who are living alone. In 1986, the over 80s made up just 9% of people who were living alone, but by 2011 this had increased to 15% - which represents a 62% increase the number of elderly people living solo.

There's also more elderly women living alone than men. In 2011, 39% of women who lived alone were over 70, while 23% of men who lived alone were in their 80s or older.

The Northern Beaches LAC finished off their post by urging people to knock on their elderly neighbours' doors and check on them if they haven't seen them for a while. They also said they're happy to perform welfare checks if anyone is concerned about the health of their neighbours.

Do cafe’s and restaurants need to quieten down? Post continues...

"So just for twenty minutes, time to put down those iPhones and iPads, and hold back the selfies and making friends with people you don't know, and have a real conversation with your elderly neighbour who is living a simple life devoid of all electronic gadgets that contribute little to real community cohesion."

"Life is a team game," they signed off their post.

If you feel like your elderly neighbour isn't receiving an adequate level of care, you can also contact the Elder Abuse Hotline on 1800 628 221.