Briton ‘abandons father with Alzheimer’s’

12 November 2004

LONDON – A British expat flew home from her home in Spain to leave her  elderly father, who suffers with Alzheimer’s, to be looked after by British authorities, it was reported.

The 82-year-old man was left at the hospital with a note from his family saying they could not cope with him any more.

Havering council, in Essex, England, believe the man and his wife had been living in Spain and think his family have returned there.

The pensioner was left at Oldchurch Hospital in Romford, Essex, last week.

A spokeswoman for Havering Council, whose social services department has taken responsibility for the man, said: “They had been living in Spain, having moved out there from the Havering area a couple of years ago.

“We presume the family have gone back there and that’s where we’re still trying to contact them, working with the British Consulate.

“We know who they are and where they are.”

However, the council has had no luck contacting them so far.

“We’re appealing for them to come forward to us so we can arrange care for the future,” the spokeswoman added.

“We can’t do this without input from the family, that’s why we want them to come to us.

“All we want to do is work out what to do for this man in the future.”

The letter was signed from his wife, the spokeswoman said, but she could not confirm reports that it was the wife and her daughter who had abandoned the man.

British Health Minister Stephen Ladyman has voiced his concern about the case.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme he preferred to believe that those involved were desperate rather than cruel.

“They should have gone to the local council or their GP and asked for support, and that support should have been there for them.

“And I’m sorry if any family has got to the position where they have taken that sort of step, and have not been able to access care and support.”

The minister said the Government was working hard to provide local authorities with the funds needed to support carers.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news