STOP ROGUE CARE HOME BOSSES PLAYING GOD
Woman’s desperate fight just to see her parents
A SHATTERED mother with both elderly parents in care has spoken of how the denial of visiting rights has left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
The despairing daughter has fought for a special status which would allow her to see her seriously ill mother.
But in a story familiar to millions of families she has been repeatedly refused.
Her mother’s £1,400-a-week home even threatened to evict the 76-year-old dementia sufferer over her repeated requests.
Last night, she lifted the lid on the misery of those forgotten in the Covid emergency as the rest of Britain embraces freedom.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the working mum-of-two said she was forced to sell her mother’s house to fund her care.
Loneliness
The 46 year old said: “I am angry at the power these care homes have and the decisions they make on the pretence they are keeping their residents safe. That isn’t true. They are just taking our money and don’t care that loneliness is killing their residents.
“I began not sleeping, which is ironic as I was totally exhausted. I would spend days crying. I was prescribed antidepressants.”
The scandal comes as Government guidance instructs care homes to allow every resident to nominate an essential care giver who can visit “in all circumstances”.
Yet many simply ignore the guidance. The daughter said: “I have never stepped foot inside mum’s home other than for one visit in a dedicated room with a screen separating us. She has absolutely deteriorated. Being shut away for so long – and not being able to understand why – has taken its toll.
“My children are 10 and six – they will never get to see their Nanna again. The illness will take her away.”
Her brutal story relates to a home in East Sussex rated “Good” by the Care Quality Commission and run by a company with residential, nursing and dementia homes across Britain.
The denial of visiting rights is in contrast to her father’s situation at a home in Suffolk, where he also suffers with dementia.
She said: “I was automatically made an essential care giver and can come and go as I like.”
She added: “I sit quietly, hating my mum’s care providers but forced to stop protesting – there is nothing I can do until there is a law to protect us.”
Campaigners want a law to give essential care givers legal rights of access.
After the Daily Express reported this week on the torment for thousands of families still isolated from loved ones in homes, we received a flood of harrowing stories.
One reader said: “I have exhausted every avenue to gain normal access to my mum – and I dare not upset the applecart any further. This is now the biggest and most scandalous secret of the Covid crisis and the Government is not addressing it adequately.”
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “We consider care-home visits essential to residents’ health and wellbeing, and should be supported and enabled by care providers wherever possible.”
‘This is now the biggest, most scandalous secret of the Covid crisis. The Government must act’