A Fife man is being forced to sell his house so he can afford healthcare costs for his wife, who has dementia.
Ron Greig, 67, of Burntisland, said he is “disgusted” with Fife Council for putting in place what he deems as an “inadequate” care package for his wife Rosalynne, who requires round-the-clock care.
Mrs Greig, 64, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in November 2013 but because of her age is not entitled to free healthcare as this is only provided to dementia patients over the age of 65.
She does receive some assistance from Fife Council but, because her health is declining so rapidly, Mr Greig says the level of care needs to be increased urgently.
“My wife now needs help 24 hours a day,” he said.
“I have told the council this but they keep telling me they can’t afford to give me any extra help because of budget constraints.
“Recently, though, they provided emergency care arrangement after I had an accident and badly hurt my leg which was a godsend but I really need that standard of help on a permanent basis.”
Mrs Greig gets three hours’ home help on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a half hour of help on a Thursday, two and a half hours on a Friday and two half-hour periods over the weekend.
“What really annoys me is the council tell me they can’t afford to give me extra home help which I know only costs around £20 per hour but they say they can arrange private respite which costs £180 per day, presumably because it comes out of a different pot,” Mr Greig added.
“As a businessman that angers me because it makes no economic sense.
“Not only that but my wife becomes very distressed when she is in unfamiliar surroundings so it’s not the best solution for her.
Mr Greig is semi-retired but still oversees the running of his own construction business which he said has suffered “significantly” since his wife became ill.
“I’m concerned about the future which is why I’m having to sell our home and even though Rosalynne turns 65 soon and is apparently entitled to better care, I have no idea what that involves at this point in time nobody has told me.”
Mrs Greig’s care package was last reviewed in June.
Fife Council head of adult services Julie Paterson said: “Given that there appears to have been a change in Mr and Mrs Greig’s circumstances, we have arranged to undertake a review of the care provided with a view to ensure that any services provided meet both Mrs Greig’s needs and Mr Greig’s needs as carer, in accordance with our eligibility criteria for services.”
Vascular dementia is a form of dementia that affects more than 111,000 people in the UK.
It is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain if there is a problem with the blood vessels that supply it.
Parts of the brain become damaged and eventually die from a lack of oxygen and nutrients. It is more common in men and usually starts before the age of 75.
Picture by George McLuskie