Anne Duke, the woman whose heartbreaking battle with care home isolation inspired a Sunday Mail campaign and a change in the law, has died at the age of 63.
Now her husband Campbell has vowed to fight on in her name and make sure the demands of thousands of families for legal visiting rights are met.
The dementia sufferer gave her name to Anne’s Law which – from the pages of this paper – forced the Scottish Government to promise a law to ensure elderly and vulnerable residents will never again be separated from loved ones.
The legislation is yet to be enacted but Campbell, 66, promised his wife he’ll continue the fight in her memory.
In a moving final letter to Anne, published in the Sunday Mail today, her devoted husband has told of the “despicable and heartless” restrictions that lasted until her dying day.
Campbell said: “I always knew it was coming but it was still a devastating blow to lose the most important person in my life.
“Anne’s Law didn’t come in time for Anne but I will never stop fighting for it and for care home residents to be allowed the same family contact as anyone else.
“Right up to the day she died, Anne was the victim of lockdown restrictions – it has been inhumane cruelty that can never be allowed to happen again.”
Anne passed away last Saturday after being taken into hospital with an infection and then released to receive end-of-life care at her care home.
And Campbell revealed how even then he struggled to have a two-week isolation order overturned so family could be by her side in the final hours.
He added: “Despite having been vaccinated three times and given a negative test, we were still initially told she would be placed in isolation for two weeks. These were her final days on Earth.
“I just wanted to hold her hand, tell her I love her, take off the mask and kiss her goodbye. Thankfully the care home saw sense and family were eventually allowed in but it should never have been something in question.
“There is a huge amount of guilt I feel that I couldn’t make Anne’s last year better, that she was left alone for so long at a time when more than anything she needed me.
“If I can help change things so nobody else ever has to go through the same thing, it would mean a lot.”
Scotland’s care homes closed their doors to visitors in March last year in response to the first wave of Covid – and many restrictions continue to this day.
It left about 35,000 elderly and vulnerable residents with virtually no family contact for months on end, despite experts warning the loneliness could claim more lives than Covid.
More than 3000 residents died after contracting the virus and the Sunday Mail revealed in April last year how infected patients were being discharged from hospitals to homes despite loved ones being locked out.
Anne, who was taken into care after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s aged just 55, was one of those cut off. The former carer, of East Kilbride, had been visited every day by Campbell, her three daughters, son and grandchildren.
Daughter Natasha launched a petition highlighting Anne’s plight which was signed by more than 100,000 people. The Sunday Mail joined forces with her and thousands of families to demand named loved ones receive the same rights as staff to enter care homes while taking strict infection prevention measures.
We won the backing of nurses, doctors, campaigners and infection control experts with cross-party support from politicians at Holyrood and Westminster. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to enact legislation and a consultation on Anne’s Law closed earlier this month.
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart – who is responsible for delivering the policy – said: “Our thoughts and condolences are with Anne’s husband and family.
“We have sought views through a public consultation on the best way to support people who live in adult care homes to maintain connections with family and friends following the commitment made in our Programme for Government to deliver Anne’s Law.
“We will consider these views carefully and publish the responses as soon as possible. We will be doing everything possible to honour Anne’s legacy by getting Anne’s Law right.”
But Labour MSP Monica Lennon has called for the legislation to move faster.
She said: “Anne Duke touched the hearts of people up and down the country, uniting campaigners and politicians on the urgent need for Anne’s Law to end the isolation for people living in Scotland’s care homes.
“Despite this consensus, it’s devastating that ministers have failed to deliver on Anne’s Law. Eventual legal rights to maintain contact with family caregivers will come too late for Anne and thousands of others.
“My thoughts are with Anne’s devoted husband Campbell, her children, grandchildren and all who loved her.
“The Scottish Government must deliver Anne’s Law as a matter of urgency and allow people to live and die with dignity, surrounded by the people who love them most.”
Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said: “Anne’s Law can’t erase the suffering and isolation care home residents experienced but it will leave an important legacy. I send my condolences to her loved ones.”
Scottish Greens health spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said: “I’m sorry to hear that Anne Duke has passed. I look forward to the legislation coming forward. It is a tragedy Anne herself will not benefit from and we owe it to her family to introduce this as quickly as possible.”
Scottish Tory shadow social care minister Craig Hoy said: “My thoughts are with the loved ones of Anne Duke at this time. SNP Ministers must honour her memory by redoubling efforts to deliver a new approach to strengthen the rights of care home residents.”
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