An elderly couple who has been married for more than 68 years has been torn apart because of a nursing home’s unwillingness to provide an extra bed to a man, 89, with a health care concession – giving priority to residents who can fork out more than $300,000.
Alf Craster, 89, and Hetty Craster, 87, from Perth have been married and living just a short walk from each other for more than 68 years.
Yet after a fall more than six months ago, Alf was transferred to Fremantle Hospital, while his beloved wife – who also suffers from dementia – was to stay in her Armadale nursing home.
An elderly couple Alf Craster, 89, and Hetty Craster, 87, in their late 80s has been kept apart because of the limited amount of places at an aged care home in Perth
Since Alf’s fall, his daughters have tried to get him in the same nursing home as Hetty.
While his name has been on a waiting list to join his wife for more than six months, he still hasn’t received any sign that he will be able to live with her again.
Alf is still being looked after at a transitional care facility with around-the-clock care as his condition has worsened.
‘I don’t know why I can’t be with her. She loves me and I love her,’ Alf told 9News.
Alf Craster (left) and Hetty Craster (right) have been married for more than 68 years
Hetty’s dementia is so severe she can’t recognise anyone except for her husband and she has been sitting next to his empty chair for months since he was admitted to hospital.
The couple’s daughter Elizabeth said: ‘How do you explain to an 87-year-old and an 89-year-old that a system that doesn’t even know anything about them wants to keep them apart. It’s wrong.’
Elizabeth has created an online petition to the Minister for Aged Care The Hon Ken Wyatt.
Earlier this year, Elizabeth met with the CEO of the nursing home and was told that priority places would go to a fully funded applicant who could pay up a staggering $325,000.
‘Priority when a room became available had go to someone who had the necessary funds which amount to $325,000 and couldn’t go to a concessional applicant, such as our father,’ according to the petition.
His name has been on a waiting list to join his wife at her same nursing home for more than six months
Hetty’s dementia is so severe she can’t recognise anyone except for her husband and she has been sitting next to his empty chair for months
The couple’s daughter Elizabeth has created an online petition to the Minister for Aged Care
Ken Wyatt’s Ministerial staff received the couple’s petition last week.
While Elizabeth was told they sympathised with the couple, they said they weren’t able to intervene because the specific nursing home is privately owned.
In a statement by Minister Wyatt he said: ‘This is an unfortunate situation that, in part, reflects the shortage of residential aged care beds in Western Australia.
‘There will be 3295 new aged care places made available this year to WA and there is widespread construction of new residential care facilities to meet the growing demand.’
The online petition has received almost 4,000 signatures.
‘Priority when a room became available had go to someone who had the necessary funds which amount to $325,000 and couldn’t go to a concessional applicant, such as our Father,’ according to the online petition
(Left) Fremantle hospital where Alf was transferred to after his fall last year. (Right) Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt said: ‘This is an unfortunate situation that, in part, reflects the shortage of residential aged care beds in Western Australia