CASE STUDY #1
NANCY GRIFFITHS and her daughter Tai grew close to their elderly neighbours David and Violet Edwards over the years, regularly spending Christmas together.
David, who had worked for British Aerospace, developed dementia in 2016 and died two years later, aged 92.
Violet hoped to spend her final years in her marital home in Kingston, southwest London. But because they had saved and lived frugally, David’s £2,000 a week care had to be paid for privately.
After David’s death, Violet, 93, became frail and moved to a care home costing £65,000 per year.
Within four years, £300,000 of their hard-earned £400,000 savings had gone. Nancy, who had power of attorney, had no option but to sell the house last year to pay for Violet’s care. It went on for £620,000 but under pressure to sell she had to accept £520,000. ‘David
WHEN antique jewellery dealer Barbara Brand-Cotti met husband Roland they moved out of London to live their dream of raising a family in the country.
But daughter Holly was just seven when Roland died, leaving Barbara to raise three children alone.
She was careful with money, and Holly, now 44, remembers the whole family celebrating when she paid off the mortgage. ‘That beautiful Lincolnshire cottage was her pride and joy,’ she said, ‘especially the garden.’
But in 2017, Barbara had a stroke and, a year later, was in social care. After disagreements with the nursing home over payments – including a bid to evict
made everything in that house, from the conservatory to the fireplace,’ said Nancy, 55. ‘It broke my heart to sell it.’
She added: ‘I fully support any changes so people don’t have to sell their home for social care. It’s completely wrong.
‘I’m not Violet’s daughter so I won’t get anything in the will but I feel so sorry for people who expected to rely on money from their parents after they die.’