Pensioner lost will to live after husband's death, inquest told
A 71-year-old woman dropped to four stone in weight and lost the will to live following her husband’s death, an inquest heard today.
Annie Rogers had refused help from family, doctors and district nurses in the months up to her death on February 8, 2004.
Keith O’Brien, her nephew who lived with her at Downpatrick Road, Crumlin in Dublin 12 and had attempted to seek help for her, said: “Basically, when her husband died she went into herself.”
The Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard her husband had died two years earlier.
Her nephew said he had noticed her health deteriorating and had contacted a doctor for her and attempted to arrange meals on wheels for her.
“She wanted nothing to do with it,” he said. “She wasn’t eating well and was smoking 300 to 400 cigarettes a week.”
A statement from Dr Oliver Connolly, who was called to the house by Mr O’Brien in June 2003, said she was chain smoking, clearly suffering from dementia and very thin.
The doctor said he felt she needed hospital assessment and had contacted a district nurse but she refused to co-operate.
Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said: “Unfortunately, because of her state of mind, she simply didn’t wish to see any doctors.
“While it is self-neglect it is down to her mental state. I think the mental state was such that she simply didn’t want to go on looking after herself.”
She was discovered by the landlady after collapsing on February 7, 2004 and brought to St James’s Hospital where she died from bronchial pneumonia.
Dr Farrell, who passed a verdict of death by misadventure, said: “The refusal to look after herself was a factor in her death.”
He added: “The family doctor and district nurses did everything they could, this is not third party neglect, it is just Mrs Rogers simply did not want to seek assistance.
“It is in no way reflecting on family or the medical and nursing service provided.”
