Bonniconlon man died of pneumonia

Bonniconlon man died at home of pneumonia


83-year-old had ‘no medical history’

THE inquest into the death of an 83-year-old man who had never attended a medical professional in his life, has prompted a Mayo coroner to warn against the dangers of self-neglect.
At a sitting of the Coroner’s Court in Ballina last week, Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald, acting coroner for north Mayo, recorded a verdict of death by natural causes in the case of Michael Loftus, Carnaglough, Bonniconlon, after hearing evidence that he was found dead in his home on February 17 last.
Nephew of the deceased, Patrick Calleary, Carrowhubbuck, Enniscrone, told the inquest his uncle was a ‘very private person’ who lived alone in Carnaglough and was unwilling to leave his home for any reason. He said he rarely let others gain entry into his house but just days prior to his death, had given him a spare key to his home.
He said he called to him on February 17 and when he failed to answer, entered the house and found him sitting in a chair in the kitchen. He said he knew immediately that Mr Loftus was dead.
Mr Calleary told Dr Fitzgerald his uncle had never seen a medical professional, stating: “He just did not like to go to doctors or leave his house for any reason and we could not force him to.” He said his uncle was not in contact with many people but would call him regularly if he needed anything, other than what he bought from a travelling salesman. Concurring with this evidence, Garda Des McCann said the pensioner had ‘completely isolated himself from the community’.
The last person believed to have seen him alive was Michael Langan of Knockleigha, Ballina, who called to the bachelor every Thursday afternoon to sell him foodstuff and did so as usual on Thursday, February 12. Describing Mr Loftus on that date as ‘the worst I ever saw him’, he said he sold him food but left after the deceased told him he had a ‘bad cold’ and to ‘pull the door behind him’.
In his medical evidence, pathologist with Mayo General Hospital, Dr Fadel Bennani, said a post mortem carried out on February 18 revealed infection of the lungs consistent with pneumonia and detailed poor circulatory problems, skin blisters and poor personal hygiene.
He added that the evidence of pneumonia was ‘lethal at such an age’ and estimated his time of death as the early hours of February 17. 
Coroner Dr Fitzgerald concurred with the medical evidence and returned a verdict of death by natural causes due to pneumonia. She warned that failure to seek medical attention can have fatal consequences. “While this man was very private and almost a recluse, in his own way his death was due to self-neglect. This is always a risk with older people particularly when medical attention is refused and we should all be vigilant of older people around us,” she said.