By Jeremy Sollars
NEIGHBOURS on Wattle Avenue in Warwick have spoken about their anguish on finding out that an elderly couple in their street were found deceased in their home last weekend.
Police confirmed the bodies of a couple in their late seventies had been found in the residence on the evening of Saturday 19 November after police gained entry.
It is believed they may have lain deceased in the home for up to a week.
The discovery of the couple comes less than two months after a 63-year-old woman was found deceased in her Percy Street home after her body had been there for up to six weeks, prompting questions about care of the elderly and vulnerable.
Neighbours who contacted police for a welfare check, declined to be named but said they had raised the alarm after becoming concerned for the couple.
“I called the police on Saturday after I’d noticed the mail had been piling up on the footpath and the car was in their carport,” they said.
“They were a very reclusive couple but I was just concerned something might have happened to them.
“The police and the ambulance and undertaker came on Saturday night around 7pm – it was upsetting to realise they could have been there for several days.
“We rarely saw them go anywhere and we weren’t aware of them receiving any regular visitors or family members coming and going.”
Warwick police said the matter was still under investigation and a report would be prepared for the Queensland Coroner.
The police were not able to speculate at this early stage about what had caused the couple’s deaths but there were no suspicious circumstances.
Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie said the community needed to be more “proactive” about getting to know their neighbours.
“It’s certainly a fact that our demographics are changing,” Cr Dobie said.
“We have an aging community, with more retirees moving to the region, and families moving more frequently than they once did.
“Our lifestyles are also different.
“We spend more time indoors rather than in our yards and gardens, so there’s less opportunity to connect with our neighbours.
“But we should all make a concerted effort to get to know our neighbours, and the upcoming festive season is a great opportunity to do this.
“I’m sure residents, particularly older ones, would value the friendship offered by neighbours at this time of year.”
Cr Dobie said even noticing that someone hasn’t opened their curtains could be a sign that something is not quite right.
“It only takes a moment to check in, and it could make the world of difference to that person,” she said.
“And, while we don’t want to be seen to be invading people’s privacy, as a community we should be happy to know that those around us care and are looking out for us.
“I would encourage people to be proactive, establish informal arrangements with neighbours to look out for each other, and help to rebuild that sense of community and small town spirit.”
