Hopes for great grandmother 'evicted' from care home for daughter's window visits

Elizabeth Bow, 78, was ordered to leave Aspen Hill Village in Hunslet, Leeds, due to alleged repeated breaches of the home's Covid-19 visiting policy.

Her daughter Denise Hobbs, 53, said that on Tuesday, the day her mum was originally due to be evicted, she was rushed to hospital.

Ex-nurse Elizabeth was struck down with a chest infection and admitted to A&E, where she was placed on antibiotics and oxygen.

Police officer Denise said her mum's condition is improving and that she hopes her stay in hospital will be brief, although she does not yet know how long.

She added Elizabeth will not return to Aspen Hill afterwards because she has "lost trust" in the management and believes her mum has fallen "victim" to their policy.

The OAP was initially due to evicted on Tuesday but a home spokesman said her stay could continue while an 'alternative placement' was sought.

Mrs Hobbs said: "Mum is in hospital now being treated for a chest infection.

"After everything else this is an additional stress and worry which she, or us, didn't need.

"Luckily mum seems to be okay and getting better so hopefully we can get her out soon.

"As far as I'm concerned she is done at Aspen Hill now, I don't want her to go back there after everything they have done.

"We'll find somewhere else for her to go."

Mrs Hobbs said she had been in touch with a care home in Castleford and is hopeful her mum will end up there after being discharged from hospital.

Speaking earlier in the week, she said: "I have completely lost trust in the home, I don't see how they can justify a decision like this.

"My mum is innocent but has become the victim."

According to Aspen Hill, Elizabeth was ordered to leave the home because her family "refuses to comply" with their visiting policy.

Mrs Hobbs is said to have broken the rules by trying to speak to her mum through an open patio door on October 4.

She said she received a phone call from the home on October 20 to say her mum was being evicted.

Speaking earlier in the week, Denise said: "While this pandemic was going on we had permission to go and see my mum, but then it stopped all of a sudden.

"All I want to do is see my mum, having that contact is so important. Now it's gone."

Denise said she has "no problem" with the carers, who have been "amazing".

She added: "The carers are great and I know this breaks their hearts as well.

"It's the management who I have an issue with, they're the ones who are making the decisions."

Great-gran-of-12 Elizabeth worked as a nurse in Scotland, her home country, before operating as a carer in Scarborough.

She moved to Aspen Hill in Leeds on April 29, where she had a patio room meaning her family could visit through the window.

Shortly before that Elizabeth defeated coronavirus and she has previously overcome cancer and a stroke.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Aspen Hill said: "The resident was asked to leave because her family refuses to comply with our visiting policy.

"We appreciate that restrictions placed on visiting is exceptionally difficult for our residents and their loved ones.

"However, we have a duty of care to ensure the safety of all our residents and to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus into our homes.

"This requires us to follow government guidance which restricts visiting.

"Unfortunately, our reasonable requests to adhere to our visiting policy has led to an irreconcilable breakdown in our relationship with the resident’s family."