My alcoholic mum died alone

My mum was discovered a week ago dead at her house. She was a reclusive alcoholic who shut the world out and didn't want to be helped.

She didn't care how she lived and so never tidied up, instead just threw everything on the floor and so she lived in terrible condition.

We went to see her every two months or so and always tidied up and tried to get her to listen to us but she never would. We called all the services we could but we were told time after time that there was nothing anybody could do.

Recently we decided to take the advice from AA and try to detach ourselves from her as we had suffered for years and nothing ever seemed to change. We decided to let her know that we desperately wanted to help but she needed to ask for the help as we couldn't do it for her. For a while we stopped phoning regularly and did not go to see her for two months (we do not live in the same city).

Tragically she died very soon after we started trying this method and she lay undiscovered for about three weeks. I am absolutely devasated and feel so guilty that she died in this way, I keep thinking that if only I had gone to see her I might have prevented her death.

One of the worst things is that she died of unnatural causes, that is to say that her body did not give in, she had a fall and then died because she had not eaten or drunk anything. I can't believe how tragic her last week/days/hours have been and have no comfort at all.

There is going to be an inquest into her death. It pains me so much to not know why she died and why she did not ring anyone if she was suffering.

I don't know how I am going to cope?