The desperate family taking gran out of Leeds care home after 12 years so she can hug grandchildren

Maggie Wright, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, has been a resident at a care home in north Leeds, for 12-years.

Mrs Wright's son Tom, 45, who plans to move her in with his family, fears there is a risk of lonely pensioners"dying of a broken heart" and is backing a campaign for the Government to ease the blanket ban on care home visiting.

Mr Wright, who works as a vet, is hoping to take her out of the home early next month and move her into the house he shares with his wife Steph and children Daisy, 11, and Archie, nine.

Mrs Wright, a grandmother-of-six, had to isolate for a few weeks after she was diagnosed with coronavirus in early May.

Mr Wright and his two sisters last saw their mother during outdoor window visits in mid September.

Mr Wright said: "The front line carers have been doing their best to make her as happy as she can be and the activities coordinator has been really good.

"But mum lives to see her kids and grandkids and just wants what every human being wants, a hug and a cuddle and to hold their hand.

"Her mental health has significantly suffered to the extent that she has said her life isn't worth living because she is living in a box.

"She lives to see her family. She used to go out three times a week and she would see members of the family or a friend four or five times a week.

"That is down to nothing now and they were the only things that gave her pleasure in life, everything else is just existing."

Mr Wright said: "We want some degree of testing introducing for care home visitors, probably a single family member incorporated into the testing scene (at the care home).

"Why couldn't a relative, who is clearly going to take all precautions, be like a key worker.

"That physical contact from a relative is fundamental to the wellbeing of care home residents.

"These poor residents, particularly the ones with dementia, need love and they need their relatives with them now.

"The current government policy protects life, but it doesn't protect quality of life and it doesn't take the individual's choices into account.

"Whilst we may stop them from getting coronavirus, we don't stop them dying from broken hearts.

"Nobody is asking mum what she wants to do, what risk is she going to take.

"Mum is very excited about coming to live with us. It is with trepidation, because it is a complete unknown.

"She was in the home for a reason, we are not carers, we are family. However, we absolutely feel as though it's the right thing to do.

"We want to make whatever life mum has left as good as it can be.

"We are fortunate that we have the room to be able to do this and she will have full NHS continuing health care."

Mr Wright said his family is supporting campaign group www.rightsforresidents.co.uk and is backing a petition on change.org, which has been signed by more than 162,000 people.

The petition, which is calling for the government to ease care home visiting restrictions and enable family members to have access to regular testing, can be found at https://www.change.org/p/please-let-me-see-my-family-before-it-s-too-late

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise how important it is to allow care home residents to safely meet their loved ones and the challenges visiting restrictions pose for people with dementia, learning disabilities, autistic adults and their family and friends in particular.”

“Our priority remains the prevention of infection in care homes to protect staff and residents but we are considering plans to allow specific family and friends to visit care homes safely.

"We will set out further details in due course.”