COUPLE’S FAMILY REVEAL HUMAN It’ll devastate my parents to live apart after 67 years of marriage

first time in seven decades. Joanne says social services told them her parents would be moved to different homes. She said: “It would devastate my mother if my father was not with her, and vice versa. “They have been together 70 years, married for 67 years and never, ever spent time apart. “I cannot and will not accept that they cannot be together.” Mary’s Alzheimer’s is getting worse. Frank needs a walking frame to get around. His hands are swollen due to arthritis, he needs help with the toilet and is almost totally deaf. They lived independently in their own home until March when their family took the decision to move them into a care home due to failing health. The couple are currently in the Cedar Lodge Care Home, close to their family. Solihull council has offered to pay costs towards Mary’s care but say retired factory worker Frank is able to look after himself.

Joanne and her brother Roderick made three appeals to social services which all concluded their parents should be separated.

The family are now taking their case to an ombudsman.

Joanne said because her parents owned their home they were not eligible for any help paying care home fees. They sold the house for £156,000 and the proceeds are currently paying £975-per-week for Mary’s care and £925-perweek for Frank.

The family contacted Solihull social services to ask about options when the money runs out. Joanne said: “They will pay £500 per week towards my mom’s care but we will need to pay a top-up fee of £475 a week. “But they won’t pay anything for my dad’s fees because they say he can look after himself. “They say he can live in a flat in the community with carers coming in.” She added: “The money is running out. I have constantly been in touch with Solihull council but they never answered my emails or phone calls. “We have now been through three stressful appeals and they maintain they should be split.” Joanne said both her mum and dad need the round-the-clock care Cedar Lodge provides. She said: “Initially when Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014 Dad was quite mobile,