Posted on 09/19/2005 9:13:02 AM PDT by bwteim
19 September 2005 EXCLUSIVE: GRAN STARVES TO DEATH Ivy, 79, abandoned by family, friends and social services
By Robert Stansfield
A GRAN starved to death because her council home had no letterbox so her pension could not be delivered.
Penniless Ivy Allen, 79, had barely drunk or eaten in the last three months of her life.
None of her 10 children, 30 grandkids, social services or pensions officials noticed she was dying at her home in Warrington, Cheshire. Grandson Anthony Bradbury, 24, said: "I can't forgive myself."
_______________
TRAGIC Ivy Allen's pension was sent back each week after the council gave her a new front door but failed to put a letterbox into it.
Penniless Ivy, 79, starved to death. There was not a scrap of food in the house when her emaciated body was found. None of the welfare agencies, nor her 10 children or 30 grandchildren were aware of her plight.
She was left broke when the door of her one-bedroom council bungalow was replaced without a post box. Her benefits book and giro cheques were returned by Royal Mail to the pensions office.
Officials there failed to tell anyone that she was not receiving any money.
Ivy's family admit their failings in the months leading to her death but they are also angry that she was allowed to slip through the welfare net.
Daughter Sandra Murphy, 42, said: "Mum was always independent and social services were meant to be keeping an eye on her. They weren't.
"If we'd known her benefits were cut and the care visits had stopped, we would have been round there in a flash. But not one person thought to tell us. A simple phone call would have saved her life."
Ivy's body was found at her home in Warrington, Cheshire, when a housing official went to find out why her rent had not been paid for six months.
Grandson Anthony Bradbury, 24, said: "She was a wonderful person, so caring. But she was a proud woman and would never have asked for help."
Ivy, who could not read or write, began having problems when second husband Jim O'Hara died in January. She was shattered by the loss.
She was visited by a care worker until April but as her mental state worsened, she started to refuse help. Two months later, she was admitted to hospital with malnutrition.
She discharged herself without her family being warned.
Warrington council said they tried to put a post box on Ivy's door but had not been able to get in to do the work. Spokeswoman Pam Smith added: "People have a right to refuse help. While they are capable of making that decision, we are powerless to intervene."
The Department of Work and Pensions promised to launch an inquiry.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201698/posts
They are a little faster than Canada...
So what about this poor lady's family? Did they ever call her or drop in for a visit? You can't lay this one at the feet of a bunch of bureaucrats.
Bush's fault.
Like she couldn't make a phone call?
Obviously!
More detail from:
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/174/174640_gran_starves_to_death_at_home.html
Warrington council had replaced the front door, which did not have a letterbox. That meant her pension book could not be delivered and was returned to the Department of Works and Pensions. But when workmen called to fit one, she would not let them in.
Or the daughter couldn't make a phone call...
Daughter Sandra Murphy, 42, said: ..."If we'd known her benefits were cut and the care visits had stopped, we would have been round there in a flash. But not one person thought to tell us. A simple phone call would have saved her life."
I guess a simple visit would have been to complicated for a 42-year old daughter.
Her family never checked up on her???
It sounds like she was mentally incompetent. Nobody in her family ever stopped by, or even called the welfare office to see how she was doing?
If there is a nickel missing from some American granny's social security welfare payment - you know people would hear about it...
Ahh Socialism....Over 100 Million Dead and still counting.
No - you were her child. You were supposed to be looking after her, you delinquent dirtbag.
"If we'd known her benefits were cut and the care visits had stopped, we would have been round there in a flash. But not one person thought to tell us. A simple phone call would have saved her life."
Maybe if you had phoned your own mother sometime in that 3 month period you might have done something.
But she was a proud woman and would never have asked for help.
If she was humble enough to live on government checks, she was humble enough to ask for help. Perhaps she was too infirm to ask for help - perhaps all she needed was one of her 40 descendants to check up on her.
Nope, no one ever checked up on her.
At least there are a few sane Brits who know where fault lies - namely, the family.
See
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/comments/view.html?story_id=174640
for some comments to this story at another newspaper.
Typical reply:
10 children 30 grandchildren, where were they all,? most of us have an independent elderly relative in our family,did none of these 40 people think to ring ,write ,email, or call, how shameful in this day and age .RIP Ivy x
19/09/2005 at 15:25
Okay, assuming for the moment that total and complete dependence on the nanny state is not a degrading and debilitating way of life...
Shouldn't the nanny state construction workers, postal worker, cheque writers, etc., have followed up on the discrepancy that this letterbox-less door created?
This is a pathetic display of creating a dependency and then abandoning the people made dependent.
[cough] Neworleans [cough]
It takes a village, right, Hillie?
Royal Mail ... rule # 52,008 states ... "Should there be no mail box available (at first glance) do not leave mail, but return it to the sender".
Royal Pensions Office ... rule # 32,804 states ... "Any pension checks returned by the Royal Mail shall be disposed of in the proper manner.
Royal Welfare Agency ... rule #2 states ... "Any employee not hearing from a welfare recipient shall consider them doing fine and dandy and shall not inquire as to their welfare.
Now carry on. That's a good lad.
See #7
"when workmen called to fit one [letter box], she would not let them in."
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