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Coronavirus: Lockdown sparks panic attacks that led to elderly man's death
Kendall Hutt14:01, Apr 15 2020FacebookTwitterWhats AppRedditEmail
4-5 minutes
Cath Francis/Supplied
Paddy McCann emigrated to New Zealand from Ireland in 1956 with his then five children and wife, Teresa.
Family of a elderly man who died on Easter Sunday claim he was a "silent casualty" of the coronavirus lockdown after panic attacks saw him sedated, slip into a coma and die.
Patrick "Paddy" McCann, 93, died listening to songs and his favourite psalms, with one of his sons holding his hand, at Kāpiti Coast's Sevenoaks on Sunday.
When New Zealand entered a four-week lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, McCann had "perfectly" understood the need, his family said.
However, the days without members of his family, who used to visit several times a week, saw him soon have panic attacks.
READ MORE:
* Coronavirus: Rules stopping families supporting dying loved ones could be relaxed
* Coronavirus: Lockdown leaves family waiting at least a month for dad's funeral
* A 40 year love story ends when partners die within day of each other during coronavirus lockdown
His daughter, Teresa Francis, 70, said her "character" of a father eventually needed "some sedation" just to help him manage.
Her daughter, Cath Francis, said he had difficulty breathing and would wake in the early hours "unsettled".
"His world had just changed completely. He was going from his bedroom to the dining room and the corridor in between."
Described as "one of the most social people you would ever meet," the lockdown had severely impacted McCann's mental state.
The Eucharistic minister who had once distributed the communion to his then-Coastal Villas retirement community first by bicycle and then by mobility scooter, had, according to his GPs, "overwhelming anxiety due to lack of social contacts".
Cath Francis/Supplied
Cath Francis with her grandfather Paddy McCann, who she described as a "very gentle soul".
Teresa Francis said her dad's motto in life was 'I am just the Lord's servant'.
"My dad's always been about giving to others."
McCann was being remembered as the man "who never missed a meal" and who had joked the priest should give his last rites before lunch so he would not miss it.
Despite a couple of strokes which had earned him the nickname "Lazarus" as he "came back stronger than ever", panic attacks and the resulting medication recently left him in a "palliative care situation".
Cath Francis, an anaesthetist at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital, said oral anxiety medication her grandad had first been taking made him a falls risk.
JOHN BISSET/STUFF
Bernie Bennett was unable to attend her mother's funeral due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"We had to keep increasing it because he couldn't control the attacks."
It was decided a Graseby pump — used to give medication subcutaneously via a syringe — would be best for him.
"He slipped into a coma and passed away," she said.
"I think he was just one of the silent Covid-19 casualties who died because of it, not from it," Teresa Francis said.
Two days on from McCann's death, his large family — eight children, 14 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren — are considering a "virtual celebration" of his life, complete with photos, messages and stories, she said.
Cath Francis/Supplied
Paddy McCann fondly called all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren his "number one" favourite. Pictured: Paddy McCann with two of his eldest daughters, Teresa Francis and Roisin Hannah.
The family had been brought to tears by the "guard of honour" the "faultless" Sevenoaks staff — his "second family" — had given him before he left for the crematorium.
"Coronavirus has taken away the Catholic traditions and rituals, so we feel we didn't give dad the send off we could of, but we'll just have to do something in a different way like many families in New Zealand at this time."
Coronavirus: Lockdown sparks panic attacks that led to elderly man's death
Kendall Hutt14:01, Apr 15 2020FacebookTwitterWhats AppRedditEmail
4-5 minutes
Cath Francis/Supplied
Paddy McCann emigrated to New Zealand from Ireland in 1956 with his then five children and wife, Teresa.
Family of a elderly man who died on Easter Sunday claim he was a "silent casualty" of the coronavirus lockdown after panic attacks saw him sedated, slip into a coma and die.
Patrick "Paddy" McCann, 93, died listening to songs and his favourite psalms, with one of his sons holding his hand, at Kāpiti Coast's Sevenoaks on Sunday.
When New Zealand entered a four-week lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, McCann had "perfectly" understood the need, his family said.
However, the days without members of his family, who used to visit several times a week, saw him soon have panic attacks.
READ MORE:
* Coronavirus: Rules stopping families supporting dying loved ones could be relaxed
* Coronavirus: Lockdown leaves family waiting at least a month for dad's funeral
* A 40 year love story ends when partners die within day of each other during coronavirus lockdown
His daughter, Teresa Francis, 70, said her "character" of a father eventually needed "some sedation" just to help him manage.
Her daughter, Cath Francis, said he had difficulty breathing and would wake in the early hours "unsettled".
"His world had just changed completely. He was going from his bedroom to the dining room and the corridor in between."
Described as "one of the most social people you would ever meet," the lockdown had severely impacted McCann's mental state.
The Eucharistic minister who had once distributed the communion to his then-Coastal Villas retirement community first by bicycle and then by mobility scooter, had, according to his GPs, "overwhelming anxiety due to lack of social contacts".
Cath Francis/Supplied
Cath Francis with her grandfather Paddy McCann, who she described as a "very gentle soul".
Teresa Francis said her dad's motto in life was 'I am just the Lord's servant'.
"My dad's always been about giving to others."
McCann was being remembered as the man "who never missed a meal" and who had joked the priest should give his last rites before lunch so he would not miss it.
Despite a couple of strokes which had earned him the nickname "Lazarus" as he "came back stronger than ever", panic attacks and the resulting medication recently left him in a "palliative care situation".
Cath Francis, an anaesthetist at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital, said oral anxiety medication her grandad had first been taking made him a falls risk.
JOHN BISSET/STUFF
Bernie Bennett was unable to attend her mother's funeral due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"We had to keep increasing it because he couldn't control the attacks."
It was decided a Graseby pump — used to give medication subcutaneously via a syringe — would be best for him.
"He slipped into a coma and passed away," she said.
"I think he was just one of the silent Covid-19 casualties who died because of it, not from it," Teresa Francis said.
Two days on from McCann's death, his large family — eight children, 14 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren — are considering a "virtual celebration" of his life, complete with photos, messages and stories, she said.
Cath Francis/Supplied
Paddy McCann fondly called all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren his "number one" favourite. Pictured: Paddy McCann with two of his eldest daughters, Teresa Francis and Roisin Hannah.
The family had been brought to tears by the "guard of honour" the "faultless" Sevenoaks staff — his "second family" — had given him before he left for the crematorium.
"Coronavirus has taken away the Catholic traditions and rituals, so we feel we didn't give dad the send off we could of, but we'll just have to do something in a different way like many families in New Zealand at this time."
