Wheelchair user feels like prisoner in home and unable to shower due to access issues
ADISABLED man said he feels “like a prisoner” in his own home, unable leave his flat, or even have a shower.
Arthur McWinning, 64, moved into his Riverside Housing accommodation in Southport at the beginning of July 2022.
The former taxi driver was forced to relocate after having one of his legs amputated and found his wheelchair would not fit through the front door of his old home.
When viewing his two-bedroom flat, Arthur raised concerns about the lack of a wet room, but were assured by Riverside that one would be installed “in a couple of weeks”.
Arthur said: “I wasn’t allowed back to my old flat because it was too small.
“I’m sat here waiting for them to turn my bathroom into a wet room.
“For my own dignity I need to give myself a wash and clean myself.”
Arthur’s daughter Netty Winning, 44, said he has now been waiting seven months for a bathroom suited to his needs.
She added: “He hasn’t had a bath or a shower since July.
“We also told them the doors would be an issue and asked if they could be push access.
“It’s impossible for him to get out. “We bought a mobility scooter and he’s left it by the front door.
“It’s not in anyone’s way.
“The housing officer came round and now it’s been forced into one of the bedrooms.”
Netty also raised concerns about fire safety due to her father’s mobility issues.
She said: “If there’s a fire he could be stuck.
“He was told if there’s a fire to stay in one room with the door shut.
“The windows aren’t even big enough to get through but he can’t stand up anyway.”
Arthur has been left “depressed” by the situation.
Netty said: “He can’t even go to the shops or in the garden because he can’t get back in.
“He’s been down, he’s really unwell. He just feels like a prisoner.”
Netty said Riverside has told Arthur “they’ll sort it” but added “they just don’t care”.
“I ring and leave messages and they’re just not getting back to us at all,” she said.
“It’s disgusting what they’re doing to him.”
A statement from Riverside Housing said the accommodation “was deemed suitable at the time” as Arthur “moved in with a 24/7 onsite carer”.
It added: “We had arranged for contractors to attend the flat to view the bathroom.
“However, in order for us to fit a wet room, an occupational therapist (OT) from the local authority has to attend the property and speak with the customer.
“We understand there is currently a backlog for OT assessments but have chased this up, and had advised the tenant and their family to do the same.
“It has since come to our attention that Mr McWinning’s carer no longer resides at the property, and as his circumstances have now changed, the flat may no longer be suitable for him.
“We will work with Mr McWinning and his family to establish more suitable accommodation that does meet his needs or look to explore adaptations that could be made to his home.”
The housing association also claimed it offered to install a 24/7 lifeline phone and pendant service in Arthur’s flat, but “he did not wish to access this service at the time”.
“We will offer this additional support again now that Mr McWinning’s circumstances have changed,” Riverside added.
“We are currently in conversations with our customer and his family about measures we can put in place and how best we can resolve any issues identified following changes in his circumstances to ensure his home is safe and suitable for him.”
Riverside said it has also referred Arthur to the fire service for recommendations on how to keep safe in an emergency.