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Angus stroke survivor, 51, left to wet the bed at night in ‘inhumane’ care row

Anne-Marie Batchelor suffered a debilitating stroke 20 years ago.
Anne-Marie Batchelor suffered a debilitating stroke 20 years ago. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

An Angus stroke survivor says she is being forced to endure the indignity of soiling herself at night in a row over community alarm care.

Anne-Marie Batchelor was left paralysed on her left side by a stroke 20 years’ ago at the age of just 31.

For the past few years she has lived in an Angus Council sheltered housing complex in Montrose.

Carers visit the 51-year-old five times during the day.

But Anne-Marie says she has been forced to endure a nightmare for weeks because community alarm staff will not respond when she calls them during the night to get help to go to the toilet.

Anne Marie-Batchelor in her Montrose flat.
Anne Marie-Batchelor in her Montrose flat. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson.

Anne-Marie says the row revolves around them wanting her to use an “inhumane” hoist in place of a stand aid device she has used for years.

“I’m disabled and in a wheelchair, but I get on fine with the stand aid.

“It gives me a bit of independence and I use my good side to pull me up on it,” she said.

“During the day things are okay.

Anne-Marie with the stand aid she wants to continue using.
Anne-Marie with the stand aid she wants to continue using. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson

“But at night they are saying they won’t come out when I think I am needing the toilet.

“They’re making me wet myself and I have to lie there in the bed until they respond and then come to clean me,” said a distraught Anne-Marie.

“I go to bed every night terrified of when I am going to need the toilet.

“I cry every single night, knowing that if I go I am going to have to lie there until they eventually come to get me out of the bed and clean me.”

“It can be a couple of times a night.”

Hoist row

She added: “They want me to use a hoist, but I can’t actually see what difference that is going to make.

“It’s an inhumane thing.

“And because of how I am I still couldn’t use it on my own.

“They would still have to come out to me to lift my leg into it to get me to the toilet during the night.

Anne-Marie claims she is left to wet the bed at night. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson.

“It’s all about the time it takes to come out and help me, but I don’t think it would be any better.

“The carers during the day are great, they come in and look after me.

“But it is a nightmare when I go to bed.

“I know I will need to toilet and there is nothing I can do.

“I’ve let my care manager know what’s going on but this is still happening and it is making me so upset.”

Angus Council did not respond to a request for comment on Anne-Marie’s situation.

Community alarm

The community alarm is a round-the-clock set-up, operating 365 days a year.

It supports those who struggle to live independently due to illness or disability.

Users wear a pendant which sends a signal to the control centre when it is pressed, and operators then ask what help is required.

Angus Health and Social Care Partnership currently charges £5.35 a week for the community alarm, and a further £1 weekly for telecare equipment.

Conversation