[WillowTheWhisp]

We really don't know the full story. We don't know how many times the children and grandchildren may have tried to help her and been rejected. If you are constantly told to go away then you quite naturally don't try as often to visit.

They couldn't force themselves on her. The neighbours told how "independant" she was and how she refused help from anyone. Where I used to live we had an elderly lady on the street and when we hadn't seen her for a couple of days I called on her to see if she was OK. I got no reply to knocking at the door but didn't give up. I tried again later and tried calling "cooeeey!" through the letterbox. She came to the door, very angry and told me to "B*****r off" or she would set the police on me. She was, she said, sick and tired of people bothering her and wanted a bit of peace and quiet.

I'm afraid that after that I never made any attempt to call on her again if I didn't see her about. Her children tried to get her to move to sheltered accommodation but she flatly refused to go. I have no idea what happened to her as we moved away.

I suppose there is a limit to how far you can go without it becoming harrassment.