When deputies in Iowa's Pottawattamie County on November 7 of this year, they were told that a domestic disturbance was in progress. They were also warned that 86-year-old Harvey Rankin was suffering from dementia and family members worried about his welfare as well as that of his wife, 83-year-old Bonnie Rankin. Upon arriving, they discovered that Harvey Rankin had shot and killed his wife and, despite pleas from the deputies for him to give himself up, shot himself as well. Despite being transported to a local hospital, he died on November 16.
"All the evidence so far leads to an apparent murder-suicide,” said Sgt. Jim Doty, Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office. "Going to the scene and seeing that it’s an elderly couple and hearing the reports of dementia, it was heartbreaking, because you can't believe that he was in his right mind to do something that horrific,” Doty added.
The case bears a striking resemblance to an earlier murder that occurred in Lincoln, Nebraska in June of this year. On June 20, 80-year-0ld JohnKotopka shot and killed his 78-year-old wife, Janet. Now facing a first-degree murder charge, Kotopka told authorities that he killed his wife of 57 years due to the exhaustion of caring for. She had been diagnosed with dementia two years earlier and he had been acting as her primary caregiver with little real relief.
While caregiver stress remains a major problem for spouses of dementia patients, Nebraska Alzheimer’s Association executive director Julie Chytil said there is help available for people in need. "Knowledge is going to be your friend in this situation so you know what’s coming and how to prepare,” she said. “Your loved one will change, and the way you used to communicate with them must also change. Learning how to care for them can help you plan.” Many organizations for dementia sufferers have extensive online and local resources which can be invaluable in avoiding tragedies such as these.
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