A GRANDMOTHER died after falling and hitting her head at her home in Hythe causing her to be “rendered immobile”.

Frail Violet Farrow, 83 and of Malwood Road, was at her home on June 5, this year, when she lost her balance and hit her head on a corner of her bedroom wall.

Emergency services were called by son John, who witnessed the incident, and Mrs Farrow was taken into hospital.

A scan indicated that the church organist had suffered a significant head injury, but no signs of bleeding, and she remained in hospital until June 14 due to ongoing spells of dizziness.

An inquest into Mrs Farrow’s death at Winchester Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday last week that upon returning home she became confused and her cognitive ability declined, then on July 22 she suffered a further fall and was readmitted to Southampton General Hospital.

Consultant geriatrician Dr Fiona Howson said that a CT scan was carried out and revealed that Mrs Farrow had sustained a subdural haematoma – a bleed on the brain.

The inquest was told that she continued to deteriorate, despite the bleed shrinking. She was also treated for a urinary tract infection, bronchopneumonia and was suspected of having seizures.

After discussions with her family Mrs Farrow died on August 12.

Senior coroner Christopher Wilkinson believed that the bleed of Mrs Farrow’s brain might have started following the fall in June.

Professor James Nicholl, who carried out a post-mortem on Mrs Farrow, agreed and said: “It may well be one of these earlier events may well have been the triggering factor.”

Professor Nicholl added that the main cause of her death was due to bronchopneumonia contracted due to her immobility following the fall.

Mr Wilkinson concluded that Mrs Farrow’s death was accidental.