Elderly woman dies just days before her 99th birthday, an inquest at Eastbourne heard

Joan Callarman, 98, of Southerham Lane in Lewes, died on May 21 after a series of issues which caused her physical health to decline.

Ms Callarman’s daughter, Sarah, also of Southerham Lane in Lewes, described the days leading up to her mother’s death. She said, “Mum was unable to stay awake and her breathing was laboured. I was concerned about her”.

The inquest heard Ms Callarman had a fall in January 2018 and broke her shoulder, which later led her to move in with her daughter to receive care.

Sarah said in a statement, “Mum felt isolated at our home without company of her own age. She said she thought she would like to live in a care home again.”

It was heard Ms Callarman moved out of her daughter’s home earlier this year to live at Parris Lawn Care Home in Ringmer.

Sarah said, “She would be delighted to have visitors and to join in with activities at the care home. I would visit every other day and she would be chatty and awake.”

The retired secretary developed an infection soon into her stay at the home, which led her to suffer with ‘confusion’, ‘laboured breathing’ and an ‘inability to stay awake’, her daughter told the inquest.

It was heard a carer rang the alarm the day before Ms Callarman died after becoming worried ‘fluid was going down her wind pipe’.

The inquest was told Ms Callarman died the next day.

Sarah said she was disappointed an agreement was not adhered to by the care home - in regards to being swiftly contacted if her mother’s health deteriorated.

She said, “I never saw my mother again. I would have liked to have been with her when she died. I do not think it was properly dealt with at the home.”

Coroner Alan Craze said, “The poor lady basically had enough.”

The coroner recorded a conclusion of natural causes.