The isolated death of Lucie McNulty is tragic and unsettling on so many levels. The former music teacher lived a reclusive life in Wells. Then on Wednesday, police reported that she likely died two and a half years ago. Her body remained undiscovered the entire time in her modest white house flanked by pine trees.
The fact that a person could be dead and unnoticed for more than two years elicits stunned silence, shock and questions ranging from how to enroll elders in existing programs and how much discretion police should have.
In addition to these public policy conversations, there is an important discussion on the individual level: Why don’t we see the frail and elderly?
It is the moral responsibility of family and neighbors to keep this vulnerable group from becoming the invisible members of society. McNulty would have been about 66 at the time of her death — which is not elderly by many standards. But her lifestyle was consistent with the isolation of many elderly people, whether by choice or infirmity. There is often the common denominator of a desire for independence.
Of course, in McNulty’s case, neighbors did call the police, who responded. These facts make her death all the more difficult to wrap your mind around. The question becomes whether more could have been done while respecting McNulty’s right to privacy — and what that would look like.
For many people, the community — neighbors, family, friends and church members — serves as a safety net. But as elders withdraw and participate in these circles less, it becomes more difficult for the community to gauge whether a decline is occurring. Another layer of complexity is that we live in a country that places a high priority on our civil liberties. For example, when trying to impose protective measures on people through guardianship proceedings, the law requires the least restrictive means. Adult children often struggle with balancing their parents’ right to live alone with the risk of potential harm. There is a range from the point where someone has isolated themselves to the point where the government can intervene or authorize family and friends to intervene.
When an elder starts to withdraw, develops forgetfulness, painful joints, and other factors that increase the likelihood of physical or financial harm, the community must become the informal safety net. This may take the form of delivering cookies or meals, and then offering to pick up groceries. Other options may be as straightforward as working out a system with an elderly neighbor where you will watch for the porch light each night.
Strong, independent seniors can be very clever in isolating themselves because they feel their independence is at stake. It is difficult for anyone to ask for help or to admit being all alone in this world. So communities need to be proactive in creating age-friendly communities. And because communities have different needs, the conversations need to be local and examine what can be done to protect the aging while honoring their independence and civil liberties.
If you know of a senior who may be at risk, learn more from Maine’s Adult Protective Services. For more information, visit its website here.
Barbara S. Schlichtman, Esq., is an elder law attorney with Maine Center for Elder Law, LLC, with offices in Kennebunk, Portland and soon-to-be in York.