Log In | Register
9 Votes
24 Comments
Elderly woman lay dead in her apartment for five years before anyone noticed she was missing
News Type: Event — Seeded on Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:59 PM EDT
Article Source: the Mail onlineadvertisement
An elderly woman lay dead in her flat for up to five years, it was revealed today.
The badly decomposed body of Isabella Purves, who would have been 90 this year, was found by police earlier this week.
Officers forced their way into her flat in the respectable Canonmills area of Edinburgh after a neighbour reported water dripping through the ceiling.
They had to fight their way through piles of unopened mail behind her front door.
Published to:
- Carloz's Column, All of Newsvine
- Groups: Open Mic, uk-news
- Regions: Edinburgh, London
- Public Discussion (24)
- Public Discussion (0)
- Open Mic
- uk-news
What's this?
Who's leading the conversation?
This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user
has on the current conversation.
The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd
row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera).
Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group
is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the
left, in their corresponding group.
Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the
number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative
one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their
relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.
66
15
{"commentId":8005762,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Douglas McLellan, of Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland, said it was a 'tragic case'.
He said: 'If she was not receiving care treatment from anyone and not receiving social care, then the likelihood of being found quickly is minimal.
'The question is not just about public services finding people and neighbours checking up, it's about how elderly people themselves are living their lives. If they're leading private lives, then how are people going to find them?'
Mr McLellan urged people to take more notice of their neighbours and 'knock on doors' if there is any concern.
A very sad story.
{"commentId":8005762,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 5 votes
#1 - Fri Jul 3, 2009 1:09 PM EDT{"commentId":8006977,"authorDomain":"jameseg"}
Yes, Carloz, it is sad.
I hope this woman died a painless death and did not suffer.
And, I also hope this incident encourages people to keep in touch with someone regularly to help prevent something like this from happening again.
{"commentId":8006977,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jameseg"}
- 6 votes
{"commentId":8007869,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
I hope this woman died a painless death and did not suffer.
I thought the same thing while reading.
And, I also hope this incident encourages people to keep in touch with someone regularly to help prevent something like this from happening again.
And to check in on elderly neighbors, especially those who live alone.
{"commentId":8007869,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8008093,"authorDomain":"jameseg"}
And to check in on elderly neighbors, especially those who live alone.
Yes, Carloz, it is especially true in cases like that.
{"commentId":8008093,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jameseg"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8006493,"authorDomain":"myriver"}
Isn't it just amazing how people can be so very isolated within themselves that they don't even notice those around them, or notice them gone..?
{"commentId":8006493,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"myriver"}
- 5 votes
#2 - Fri Jul 3, 2009 2:12 PM EDT{"commentId":8009861,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
It's very disheartening.
{"commentId":8009861,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":8007586,"authorDomain":"kat1034"}
Wow, I can't believe this woman didn't have any concerned relatives or at least a neighbor nearby to notice that she wasn't being seen around!!!
{"commentId":8007586,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"kat1034"}
- 5 votes
#3 - Fri Jul 3, 2009 3:35 PM EDT{"commentId":8008034,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Yes, when I was reading some of the comments from neighbors and shopkeepers I thought, "Didn't you notice you had not seen her?!"
{"commentId":8008034,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8016265,"authorDomain":"jwms"}
In recent years, with direct deposit and direct payment through the banking system, it has been happening more and more throughout the world.
Not too long ago, I read one about the mummified remains of a man was found sitting at his table.... in some north Eastern US city,if I remember right.
The sad part about all this, is that it depicts the social condition of a world which excommunicates its seniors socially....After all, it's not the seniors fault that their friends and families die off toward the latter part of their lives.
{"commentId":8016265,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jwms"}
- 4 votes
#4 - Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:46 PM EDT{"commentId":8017590,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
The sad part about all this, is that it depicts the social condition of a world which excommunicates its seniors socially....After all, it's not the seniors fault that their friends and families die off toward the latter part of their lives.
Yes, we do a lot to extend lifespans, but what about the quality of living?
{"commentId":8017590,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8020515,"authorDomain":"jameseg"}
it's not the seniors fault that their friends and families die off toward the latter part of their lives.
I agree with the above quote from Jeffrey Merrill's comment #4.
But, there are some senior citizens who remain active doing volunteer work, daily phoning or visiting neighbors, etc. It doesn't excuse those of us who are younger from our responsibility to check on elderly neighbors, but senior citizens can take responsibility for initiating friendships with other senior citizens to check on each other.
And, the wisdom and experience of many senior citizens enables them to give more than they get when they interact with those of us who are younger.
Senior citizens who are disabled, live alone, lack a phone, and don't have quality home health care, relatives, or good nearby neighbors to care for them and check on them are perhaps the biggest problem. And, despite Medicare and Medicaid there are too many of those here in the United States.
{"commentId":8020515,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jameseg"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8020627,"authorDomain":"jwc2blue"}
Yes, we do a lot to extend lifespans, but what about the quality of living?
I wouldn't be so sure that quality was an issue for her. She died in her own home, rather than a nursing home or hospital. She may have been quite happy with her life.
At 85 years old, sudden death is not unexpected. She may have been reticent by nature and not very sociable. She may have been childless and outlived her husband. The more people that are on the planet, the more possible scenarios there can be.
As sad as it appears to us, we can't know.
{"commentId":8020627,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jwc2blue"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":8021356,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Excellent points, James and JWC. Thanks.
{"commentId":8021356,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8018078,"authorDomain":"seward"}
I almost cried when I first read this article, I felt so sorry not just for the poor soul in question, but for our so-called "society" generally.
Are we all really so busy and wrapped up in ourselves not to notice what is happening around us?
Our "communities" are dying, as people become more insular and introverted. The recession certainly hasn't helped this, as people are struggling to make ends meet, and have little time for anything or anyone else.
{"commentId":8018078,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"seward"}
- 4 votes
#5 - Sat Jul 4, 2009 12:58 AM EDT{"commentId":8021471,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
I almost cried when I first read this article, I felt so sorry not just for the poor soul in question, but for our so-called "society" generally.
I felt the same way, Sandie.
The recession certainly hasn't helped this, as people are struggling to make ends meet, and have little time for anything or anyone else.
And this woman died five years ago, when things were still pretty good.
Someone mentioned above how good volunteering was for senior citizens. It is good for people of all ages and is one channel available to everyday people to help look out for the vulnerable. But we should also never forget about those in our own back yards, so to speak.
{"commentId":8021471,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8033113,"authorDomain":"seward"}
I live in what we call in Britain a "Sheltered Housing Complex", Carloz, it's a purpose-built block of fifty separate apartments for people over the age of fifty-five.
Most of us do look out for each other, and we also have a Scheme Co-Ordinator on duty (Warden), and we are also linked in our homes to an organisation called "Careline" that we can contact direct should any of us require assistance.
Sadly, the type of incident in the article happens all too frequently to elderly people who not only live alone but also live in private accomodation.
{"commentId":8033113,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"seward"}
- 4 votes
#6 - Sun Jul 5, 2009 3:15 AM EDT{"commentId":8034553,"authorDomain":"jwc2blue"}
Most of us do look out for each other, and we also have a Scheme Co-Ordinator on duty (Warden), and we are also linked in our homes to an organisation called "Careline" that we can contact direct should any of us require assistance.
That sounds like something that could prevent a lot of incidents like this one. Is there any sort of protocol concerning what happens if you don't hear from someone every day or so?
{"commentId":8034553,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"jwc2blue"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8042584,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Sadly, the type of incident in the article happens all too frequently to elderly people who not only live alone but also live in private accomodation.
Yes, there are people who just don't want to move from a place they've lived in for a long time. But there could be things done for them, too, I would think. At minimum, a call a week or two from someone in a social service agency.
{"commentId":8042584,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8048667,"authorDomain":"seward"}
"Is there any sort of protocol concerning what happens if you don't hear from someone every day or so?"
There is a morning "call through" to check if people are O.K. but it is one that you can "opt out" of, if you want to,(I have), and is not compulsory.
Carloz, many older people would not appreciate what they could possibly see as "interference" in their private lives from any Social Agency.
{"commentId":8048667,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"seward"}
- 4 votes
#7 - Mon Jul 6, 2009 7:23 AM EDT{"commentId":8062099,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Carloz, many older people would not appreciate what they could possibly see as "interference" in their private lives from any Social Agency.
You are very right. There is only so much that can be done, I suppose.
{"commentId":8062099,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8070004,"authorDomain":"seward"}
I spent a lot of time yesterday helping out an elderly hard-of-hearing neighbour. I must have been on the phone for her about half of that time trying to sort out a problem with her finances, (I managed to do so, satisfactory).
I often help my more elderly or infirm neighbours with various things, although since my own health problems I can no longer do any shopping for them, it's as much as I can do to get my own shopping, these days.
Why am I telling you this? Simply because that here, in our Complex of fifty separate apartments we mostly all try to look after each other, and mostly we get on well because of it.
We "lost" our latest "Scheme Co-ordinator" due to her being sacked by the Local Authority for "dishonesty", which was rather a pity, as I and many of us found her to be very helpful.
Her actions only "hurt" herself, sadly, none of the Residents were compromised in any way, which, made it even sadder, as she became very popular in the rather short few months she worked here.
{"commentId":8070004,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"seward"}
- 4 votes
#8 - Tue Jul 7, 2009 3:12 AM EDT{"commentId":8084399,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
Hey, Sandie, thanks for sharing. I hope you all get a replacement soon.
{"commentId":8084399,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":8092731,"authorDomain":"seward"}
One "arriving" next week, Carloz, her name is Marsha Law, and already I have nick-named her "Marshall Law!!!!!"
Let's just hope she doesn't behave like one...(A Marshall that is)...
{"commentId":8092731,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"seward"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":8093122,"authorDomain":"carloz"}
LOL! Good luck!
{"commentId":8093122,"threadId":"618697","contentId":"2994827","authorDomain":"carloz"}
- 3 votes
{"canLink":false,"threadId":"618697","isPrivate":false}
You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
As a new user, you may notice a few temporary content restrictions. Click here for more info.
Start Tracking
Stop TrackingCOMPANY STUFF:
LEGAL STUFF:
- © 2005-2009 Newsvine, Inc. |
- Newsvine® is a registered trademark of Newsvine, Inc. |
- Newsvine is a property of
