I CAN ONLY VISIT MY HUSBAND ONCE A MONTH – THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN
of baseball bat wielding thugs in 2008. It left him with severe brain injuries and damage to blood vessels that led to his incurable illness. He is wheelchair bound, unable to speak and requires around-the-clock care.
He could not be looked after at home, so his family tried to find him care close by.
In a story that will be familiar to hundreds of thousands of families struggling to find suitable care for their loved ones, Paul’s wife Helen said she tried to find a placement at 10 care homes in York, but his young age and complex care needs meant none would take him.
After an exhausting battle, Paul was eventually accepted at a care home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. But from Middlesbrough that means a 200-mile round trip for his struggling family, who do not drive.
Rylee’s mother Amy Moynihan, 27, who has a four-week-old baby boy Bobbie, said: “It has been horrible knowing he has gone downhill so fast and I know things would be so much better for everyone, especially his grandchildren, if he was nearer.
“We hear all these promises, but nothing changes.”
Taylor’s mother Meghan Smith, 24, said: “He was a proper proud family man so seeing him go from being so strong to withering away has been absolutely heartbreaking.
“From the age of three or four Taylor used to hold a sandwich to his mouth and ask him to take a bite. It really should be the other way round.
“There needs to be more training and better wages so care staff are able to deal with people like Paul and his complex needs.
“It seems like carers are only able to deal with old people.”
Charities and organisations including the Local Government Association, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Carers UK and the NHS Confederation have asked the Government to find a solution to the lack of available care places.
Mr Johnson said no one will have
HEARTBROKEN Helen Moynihan manages to visit dementia-stricken husband Paul just once a month because the only home that would take him is far away.
He was diagnosed with dementia just seven years after he and Helen were married.
Paul’s subsequent behaviour, a direct result of being attacked, was so bad he was sectioned.
Helen, 54, says: “Paul asked me to leave him because he knew what was coming but I said no way.”
Later, a local care home in York withdrew its offer because of his age and in all, 10 facilities rejected him.
Helen said: “I was an absolute wreck on antidepressants and drinking – I was fighting the
to sell their homes to pay for care in old age. He has pledged to come up with cross-party proposals in the next 12 months, but has so far offered no detail.
There are more than 1.4 million people aged 65 and over with unmet social care needs who struggle to carry out basic daily tasks like eating, washing, getting in and out of bed or getting dressed. In 2014 the figure was 900,000.
Experts estimate up to 90,000 home care workers for the over 65s are needed immediately.
The push for recognition for hundreds social care system on my own. There is a lack of care homes for people like Paul who are young but have complex needs and require specialist treatment. There doesn’t seem to be any. Not everyone with dementia is over the age of 65.
“These places look lovely but when they meet people like my husband they say they can’t take him. It has driven me to despair.
“I have seen a system that is broken but it is not just me, all the people I have spoken to say the same.
“We desperately need more funding for specialist training.
“The Government needs to act now, before other families suffer.”
of dementia-ravaged families is being led by Alzheimer’s Society ambassador Dame Barbara Windsor, 82, who suffers with dementia.
In response to the children’s letters, a Downing Street spokesman said: “We want to make England the best in the world for dementia care, and have committed to significantly increasing research funding to find a cure.
“As the Prime Minister has said, we will deliver on our promise to reform social care and bring forward a plan later this year.”