A student social worker is removing her mum from a care home after watching her suffer through nine months of lockdown.
Lucy Challoner, 22, who lost her dad to suicide in 2007, told how she can no longer bear the separation.
Lucy’s mum Judy suffers from alcohol-related brain damage and her 98-year-old gran Mary Boag is also isolated in a care home.
Judy started drinking after her husband died.
Lucy, who lives with 19-year-old brother Jack in Edinburgh, said: “It’s been really tough not getting to see mum or gran for the best part of the year.
“Time after time we were given false hope that we would be getting proper visiting rights but it just hasn’t happened.
“It’s been so hard for us. My mum also hasn’t been able to see her mum, who has advanced dementia, since March.
“I’ve had her on the phone in tears and I’ve just decided that enough is enough. I want her home.”
Judy is scheduled to return home this week, at which point Lucy will become her carer.
She added: “It’s not like some sort of fairytale ending. I’m under no illusion that having mum home will be difficult.
“I’m studying to be a social worker and will also be, more or less, looking after mum
full-time. Obviously I’m worried she could relapse, so it’s going to be tough – but anything is better than what we have now.
“I couldn’t live with myself watching her suffer. I feel like I had no choice.”
