Taking my crying mum out of her care home so she could live with us was just the best decision I’ve ever made Brave daughter tells of family’s relief
Heather Greenaway When Covid restrictions meant Lucy Challoner was stopped from seeing her mum for nine months, she took the brave decision to remove her from her care home.
The 22- year- old social work student was so upset watching Judy, 55, suffering from lack of family contact that she brought her home to live with her and her brother.
Lucy, who lost her dad to suicide when she was just 10, has also been campaigning to have face-to-face visits with her 98-year- old gran Mary Boag in her care home and, last week, her wish was granted.
By pushing and contesting the restrictions put in place during the pandemic, Lucy, from Leith, Edinburgh, has given a voice not only to her family but to all care home residents and their relatives.
Times have been very tough for Lucy, whose mum suffers from alcohol-related brain damage, but she has demonstrated real strength, determination and perseverance.
And her courage and assertiveness at such a tender age has prompted a number of our readers to nominate her for a Sunday Mail Young Scot Award in the Young Hero category. Lucy,y who became her brother Jack ’ s kinshikinship carer when their mumum was hohospitaliseised four yeayears ago, saisaid: “Not beibeing able to ssee my mum or my gran, who has advanced dementia, for the best part of last year was horrendous. A window visit or a few minutes outside with them once a week was not enough.
“Time after time we were given false hope that we would be getting proper visiting rights but it didn’t happen. It was f rust rating , devastat ing and horrendous for us.
“My mum would be on the phone in tears and my gran told me she didn’t want to live any more if she couldn’t see her family. I was heartbroken.
“I decided we couldn’t go on like this and five weeks ago I removed my mum and brought her home to live with us which, with the new lockdown now in force, was the best decision I have ever made. Looking after mum full-time is not easy for my brother and I but she is so much happier and that makes us happy. She is much more content here with us.”
Lucy, whose mum started drinking after her dad Simon took his own life in 2007, added: “My gran’s dementia is getting worse. She will be 99 in March and I know we might not have much time left with her. “Window visits have been confusing and upsetting for her and us because she can’t hear or see very well and she doesn’t understand why we can’t come inside. “At the beginning of the week I got news I have been granted a weekly essential visit with her. I will take a lateral flow Covid test before going in and I will wear PPE but just being allowed to be in the same room will make a huge difference.”
Lucy is a key member of the Care Home Relative Scotland group, which has been appealing to the Government to create legislation where every care home resident is designated an essential visitor who is allowed to have regular face-toface contact with them.
The Glasgow Caledonian University student said: “The group has been a lifeline for me as I’ve been able to talk to other families in a similar situation.”
She added: “I’m very grateful to those who nominated me and glad to be given another opportunity to draw attention to the plight faced by care home residents and families.”
Our award winners wi l l be announced at a virtual ceremony on April 22.