Elderly couple found dead at Palm Beach, police investigating

UPDATE: An elderly couple whose bodies were found in their Palm Beach home yesterday were fiercely proud and refused help from neighbours despite one of them being blind and suffering from dementia.

NEIGHBOURS today hit back at suggestions that the community abandoned an elderly couple who were found dead in their Palm Beach home yesterday.

Anne and Geoffrey Iddon, originally from Stanley Bridge, near Manchester, are believed to have been dead for two or three weeks before police were contacted by concerned friends who hadn’t heard from them.

Mrs Iddon, 82, starved to death after her husband, who fed and cared for her, died inside their Palm Beach mansion on the northern beaches.

Mr Iddon, 83, an engineer, was devoted to his wife, who was blind and had dementia, and refused to put her in a home, insisting he could look after her.

Flowers have been placed outside the house where an elderly couple were found dead. Picture: Richard Dobson

Neen Weir said she and residents in Bynya Rd, Palm Beach, where the couple lived, took them shopping by car, delivered food parcels and home-cooked meals but they were fiercely proud and often refused.

“We saw them recently driving around in their MG and he would wave at us.

“He stopped driving a dew weeks back and Geoffrey would sometimes refuse car rides to the supermarket because he said he was capable of doing it himself.

“He loved his wife and took her everywhere.”

Anne and Geoffrey Iddon were dead for weeks before they were found at their Palm Beach home. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mrs Iddon was known in the local area as the woman who walked everywhere, until she lost her sight more than 10 years ago.

Neighbour Ivor Burgess said: “She walked everywhere around Palm Beach, with Geoffrey, they were always together.

A view from the front door of the Bynya Rd home where Anne and Geoffrey Iddon were found. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We all chipped in helping with food and cleaning and one neighbour helped change their linen every two weeks, but often they would say they were fine.

“One of the neighbours was taking post from the mailbox to the door but noticed over the last few weeks the mail was being taken inside and called the police.

“They were. A little eccentric and very private and hardly went out.

“They were happy in their own world.”

Northern Beaches Police Commander Detective Superintendent Dave Darcy said their deaths moved him to make a plea to the community to look out for their neighbours, irrespective of their personal wealth or address.

“The couple consistently ­refused aged care assistance and medical support but were coping with their challenges. Closest next of kin lived overseas,” Supt Darcy said.

“This is an opportunity to reflect on this tragedy and think about our elderly parents and neighbours and what we can do as a community and as individuals to prevent a recurrence of this terrible event.’’

He said people should not hesitate to contact police if they have concerns about their neighbours.

“Knock on their door or give us a ring. We are more than happy to check on the welfare of the elderly. You can also contact the Elder Abuse Hotline [phone]) if you feel someone isn’t getting the appropriate level of care.’’

Older people who say they are lonely have a 14 per cent greater risk of dying, according to Red Cross data.

This means loneliness has roughly twice the impact on an early death as obesity.