Report confirms that Arakawa died of hantavirus and her husband, who had heart problems and Alzeimer’s disease, may not have realised she had died
Report confirms that Arakawa died of hantavirus and her husband, who had heart problems and Alzeimer’s disease, may not have realised she had died
"Hantavirus pulmonary disease is fatal in nearly four out of 10 people who are infected, but fewer than 730 cases were identified in the US between 1993 and 2017.
Further police investigations of their grounds discovered widespread evidence of rodent infestation."
They shouldn’t have been living on their own; like many very elderly people, they both needed supervised care.
Though he was in his 90s and had Alzheimers, she was 65. You might be shocked to find that most people her age are not only living independently, but still working full-time. Most of us can even drive to the supermarket, then find our own ways back home.
65 isn’t very old, but it’s a lot on anyone’s plate if she was also taking care of a 90+ Alzheimer patient and 3 dogs.
The fact that they had a rodent infestation (which are known vectors for Hanta in NM) on their property seems like a pretty significant indication that she was overwhelmed. It’s not like they are average retirees; resources were not an issue.
What IS an ongoing pattern though, is elderly people overestimating their capabilities based on their younger selves, and ignoring the signs they need additional support. Eventually something catastrophic happens, like a car accident, and then people shake their heads like, “well, we kept telling Bill he was too old to drive at night anymore, but he’s just stubborn like that.” Meanwhile the collateral damage is done.