Pensioner who died after contracting hypothermia 'couldn't afford heating', inquest hears

Barbara Bolton, 87, was found by concerned family members in her Bury home on December 11 last year. She was rushed to Fairfield Hospital with a body temperature of just 28 degrees, but tragically died more than three weeks later on January 5.

Her son Mark Bolton told the court that his mum was worried about the cost of her energy bills but that she was “proud” and had refused his offers of help to pay her fuel costs.

Please write at least 2 paragraphs

The court also heard that his loving mother did not like to accept help and could be “stubborn”, and would never admit when she was feeling unwell.

Ms Bolton, a widower, lived alone and had a single gas fire in her living room and used portable electric heaters to warm the rest of her two bedroomed terraced house.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Bolton said his mum was previously a very healthy lady who often played football with him as a child. She was a big Manchester City fan and she would take him to games during his childhood and they would spend time in the family caravan on weekends.

The inquest heard that Ms Bolton only retired at the age of 82 from her job as a pharmacy assistant at Tesco and that she enjoyed the company and the socialisation that came with it.

She spent a lot of time with her family who kept in regular contact with her and she enjoyed going to Costa Coffee with her son at least once a week.

The court heard that when her family visited her, Barbara would usually have the heaters on, but they were unsure whether this was just to appease them and did not know whether she would turn off her heating when her family left.

In a statement, Senior Coroner for Manchester North, Joanne Kearsley, said: “She would not put her heating on but she had been told by family members not to worry about that.

“Her family bought her some heaters and often when they spoke to her she would say she had them on.”

On December 11 last year, a cousin rang Ms Bolton’s phone but was unable to get through and her grandson and daughter-in-law then paid her a visit.

“His wife and son went round and saw the light was on,” Senior Coroner for Manchester North, Joanne Kearsley, said.

“They used the key to get into her house and found her in the kitchen unable to speak.”

The inquest heard that an ambulance was called and her family wrapped Barbara in quilts to try and keep her warm.

In a statement read during the inquest, Dr Amir Ansari, a Consultant Physician at Fairfield Hospital said Barbara was found slumped in her kitchen - which was ‘extremely cold’ and that she had profound hypothermia.

He said: “There was a note that the patient did not turn her heating on because of high energy bills.

“She would not put her heating on because she was worried she would not be able to pay her bills. She didn’t feel she needed the heating on and was worried she couldn’t afford it. Despite family members offering to help she was reluctant to take any help.”

“This is a very sad case because it was probably avoidable if she agreed to keep her heating on.”

When Ms Bolton’s health did not improve, her family agreed that she could be moved to palliative care and medical support was withdrawn.

Ms Bolton’s cause of death was recorded as recurrent pneumonia, due to hypothermia and unbeknownst to her family, it was also found during an MRI scan in hospital that Ms Bolton had vascular dementia.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Senior Coroner for Manchester North, Joanne Kearsley said: “What is evident to me is how much as a family you cared and looked after your mum. She was a very close part of your family and cared for very well.

“The only reason she developed hypothermia was because she took it upon herself that she didn’t want to put her heating on.

“It wasn’t an accident she didn’t put her heating on, but she didn’t do so with the intention that it would end her life. Unfortunately she had clearly become fixated and worried about putting her heating on despite what was said to her – she wouldn’t do anything differently.

“Evidently she was a huge part of your family and you did everything you could do to support her. She sounded like a remarkable woman.”