Arlene aims to keep families connected
Fundraising drive after husband‘s hospital trauma
A Paisley woman is fundraising for an iPad to ensure dementia patients can speak to family after her husband became “a shell of his former self” while in isolation at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH).
Arlene Newland’s husband John was admitted to ward 37 for assessment on March 16 because of the rapid progression of his Alzheimer’s disease.
But three weeks later the 73 year old tested positive for coronavirus.
The diagnoses meant John was isolated for 15 days and had no contact with his loved ones.
The inability to see or speak to each other was traumatic for the couple, who have only ever spent a few days apart throughout their 55-year marriage.
It has inspired Arlene to launch a fundraiser to buy an iPad dementia patients can use to contact their families during lockdown.
The 71-year-old mother-of-three told the Express: “We are hearing all about the care homes and the tragedy that is playing out there, but, to my knowledge, the impact coronavirus and isolation is having on people with dementia is not being highlighted.
“I know the patients are being de-skilled and desensitised due to the lack of being able to socialise and receive support from their family and friends.
“I am not faulting the staff in any way, I understand that those who test positive need to be isolated and that nurses are doing their best.”
Arlene added: “For John, his decline has been rapid.
“When he went into hospital he was able to communicate, but now he is a shell of a man.
“He was in isolation for 15 days within a sterile room with nothing to stimulate him. There was no TV, there were no books.
“The last time I went to collect his laundry someone brought John to the window and I had a few minutes to see him. It wasn’t a nice experience, he was vacant, there was no interaction.” John’s time in isolation meant the assessment of his Alzheimer’s was postponed. He will now have to spend a further six to eight weeks in hospital.
When he was first admitted to the ward in March, it was expected to last four to six weeks.
Arlene said: “I have started a Just Giving page to raise funds for an iPad for these wards so that patients and staff can connect with family.
“Mental health patients can’t look after their own property and many need help to use tech.
“The iPad would allow us to see John until we can get visiting again. It must be the same for all the relatives of patients in these wards.
“I think an iPad would also be a really positive thing for people with dementia when this is all over.
“Relatives who maybe have to travel a distance to hospital could contact the patients to support them.”
A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it has handed out 250 iPads to wards to support virtual visiting across all its hospitals.
He said: “We’re extremely grateful for the kind and thoughtful gesture from Arlene and we recognise how difficult it can be for patients in isolation at the moment due to Covid-19.
“In response to the pandemic we launched our person centred virtual visiting approach across all our hospitals.
“Virtual visiting uses technology to enable patients to engage with the people that matter to them the most and helps maintain these familiar social and familial connections and sources of stimulation and support. The approach embraces our core principles around person centred care and acknowledges how important these connections are.”
To donate see justgiving. com/ crowdfunding/arlene-newlands