MUM TEST GRIEF
Son’s heartache over testing failures
A son whose mum died in a care home has rejected claims she died from coronavirus despite the ki l ler bug being written on her death certificate.
Heartbroken George Hi l lhouse said a lack of testing robbed Helen Smith’s family of being able to say goodbye, while she was treated “like she was radioactive”.
Now the ex-nurse wants to tell First Minister Nicola Sturgeon how the Scottish Government’s failure to protect the elderly from Covid-19 has impacted grieving families.
Helen, 72, died last month but the former catering worker was never diagnosed with the virus.
George, 52, said he never had a discussion about his mum being infected with coronavirus with a doctor or staff until it was cited as the “presumed” cause of death.
He believes Helen did not die from the illness and succumbed from other health problems she suffered at Almond Court in Glasgow’s Drumchapel.
George said because coronavirus was blamed, the gran-ran-of-five was handled like she was contaminated when she passed away,way, denying her the funeral shehe deserved.
The criticismcism comes as Sturgeon announcedounced testing for Covid-19 would now be carried out in every care home where an outbreak is found.
Scott ish G ov e r nmee nntt statistics revealeal
40 per cent off the nation’s facilities have cases. George said: “The First Minister’s announcement is too little, too late. “When I saw my mum’s death certificate, it made me very angry.
“It was the first time coronavirus had been mentioned and there it was in black and white – presumed Covid-19. “That’s had a massive impact on my family. We couldn’t give her the funeral she wanted because of those few words.
“It was like she was radioactive. All for what? A test that costs a few quid.
“We’ll never know for sure and that’s the hardest thing to take.”
GeorGeorgege sa id t hat becausecobecausecoronavirus was blamed for Helen’s death on April 111, her family were unablunable to carry her coffin or lolower the casket into the ground.
TheThey had to watch funfuneral workers
dressed in PPE carry out the tradition at the city’s Lambhill Cemetery because of stricter safety measures imposed for Covid-19 fatalities.
George added: “There was no open casket. Her body travelled in a hearse on her own with no funeral cars.
“We weren’t allowed out of the cars until she had been lowered into her grave by strangers in protective suits.
“That wasn’t right. It should have been her family doing that and standing by to say goodbye.
“We would’ve been able to understand it if she tested positive.
“But we’re left with the suspicion she had go through all that for no reason.
“It’s left me so angry and I’d like to sit down with Nicola Sturgeon to tell her how failing to test care homes earlier has cost me and my family.”
Helen was diagnosed with vascular dementia six years ago and moved from another care home to Almond Court four years ago.
By the start of 2020, her health and mobility deteriorated and she ended up in a wheelchair. She developed a chest infection which caused complications in her right lung, making her gravely ill.
The first positive Covid-19 case in Scotland was announced on March 1.
Two weeks later, doctors told George to prepare for the worst but Helen’s health improved.
He said: “To everyone’s surprise, she rallied.”
But, by April, cases of suspected coronavirus were ripping through the 42-room Almond Court, owned by Holmes Care Group.
Helen was recorded as one of five residents thought to have died from Covid-19 at the home.
George added: “I sat there from Friday until Saturday morning with her as she lost her battle.
“I was told if I left I couldn’t go back in. It was so much different from just a few weeks previously.”
The Scottish Government said on Friday it would roll out testing for all residents and staff in care homes where an outbreak had happened as part of a policy shift.
Last week, it was revealed that more than half of all weekly coronavirus deaths in Scotland were now happening in the facilities.
The latest National Records of Scotland figures, announced every Wednesday, show 886 Covid-19 fatalities have occurred in care homes.
Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “There is no escaping from the fact that a lack of testingg and PPE has cont r ibutedted to the spread of thehe virus in care homes..
“Routinee testing should havee happened from the beginningeginning and it’s goodd that the First Ministerster is now committed to making testing moreore widely avai lable to care homee staf f andd residents.
Sadly, that comes too late for bereaved families who have been left without clear answers.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The circumstances around Helen Smith’s death are very sad and my heart goes out to her family.
“Every family deserves an accurate report on what happened to their loved one.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We alreadyy test care home residents with symptoms,sym those being admitted to care homes and symptomatic care homeh staff.
“We are also now expanding that approach to undertakeunde enhanced outbreak investigationinvestig in all care homes where therthere are any cases of Covid – this will involve testing, subject to individuals’individu consent, all residents and staff, whetherw or not they have symptoms.sympto We will also begin sampling testing in ccare homes where there the are no cases.”