by Gareth Cross
A Derry family have told of how they have reached breaking point after their father was rejected for a place in a local care home.
Speaking to the Derry News from her Shearwater Way home, Anne Coyle said that she doesn't know where to turn as she is no longer able to care for her 79-year-old husband Raymond who has Alzheimer's.
Mrs Coyle currently requires oxygen for her own health issues and, despite support from her daughters, she says that Mr Coyle now requires full-time care.
The family have had Mr Coyle on the waiting list for Ardlough Care Home in Derry for three years and recently got in contact with the home when they heard a space was available.
Mr Coyle was assessed by staff from the home but his application for a place was rejected as he was deemed 'too fit'.
Mrs Coyle said that the family only discovered that the application had been unsuccessful after their social worker contacted them, she said that the care home did not even give the family a courtesy phone call to inform them of the decision.
"We placed Raymond on the list for Ardlough three years ago because it's nearby and I can't travel far with my own health issues," she said.
"The family understands that there are only two outcomes with Alzheimer's, and the time has come where we can't look after him anymore.
"We have looked after him for five-and-a-half years and asked for nothing except a short period of respite in that time."
She said that the family were upset that they had to find out the application had been rejected via their social worker.
"The social worker asked my daughter how she felt that he was rejected and we hadn't even been told," said Mrs Coyle.
"We were shocked, I thought the least we could have expected was the courtesy of a phone call.
"The reason given was that he was too fit, but he requires 24 hour care."
No respite
Mrs Coyle said that a recent period of respite at Seymour Gardens Care Home was also unsuccessful.
"Raymond went to Seymour Gardens for a period of respite for a few hours but they told us he was too much to handle, so that is another option ruled out for us," she said.
"Now he is not even being taken for respite.
"We are all asking each other what else can we do? It just seems like nobody cares.
"I'm not fit and my daughters do everything they can to help us but I can't look after him anymore."
She said the issue was putting strain on the whole family.
"I'm not just highlighting this because of Raymond, there are hundreds of families in similar positions across the city who don't get the support they need," said Mrs Coyle.
"I am physically and mentally exhausted, I would love nothing more than to keep my husband at home but I'm not well myself.
"Raymond's also diabetic and needs close monitoring. I'm here with him 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and I'm at my wits end.
"Our social worker is great but we haven't had any advice on where to turn or what to do next. We are left in limbo."
The Derry News contacted the Western Trust for a response to this story but a Trust spokesperson said they could not comment.
“Respecting confidentiality, the Western Trust does not comment on the individual treatment and care of its patients or clients," the spokesperson said.
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