An inquest into the death of Pamela Smith, held at Norfolk Coroner's Court, was told she had lived independently until early 2025.

Her son, Andrew Smith, said she experienced increasing confusion and behavioural changes over the following year. By April, she had stopped reading, once a major hobby, and her ability to manage situations deteriorated further.

On December 3, she was admitted to hospital following a fall at home where she was discovered by her carer having been there overnight.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn (Image: Supplied)

She was treated and monitored but the decision was made to discharge her to a care home temporarily. On December 15 she was discharged to Amberly Hall Care Home, King's Lynn.

In the weeks before her death, she became frail and experienced repeated falls linked to “episodes where she deliberately lowered herself to the floor due to delusional beliefs she was having a heart attack”.

After another fall on January 18, she was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital but deteriorated and died three days later.

Area coroner Johanna Thompson concluded Mrs Smith died of natural causes.

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