Devastated family launches fundraiser to help 'shell of former self' Northampton woman following stroke

The family of a 69-year-old Northampton woman has launched a £30,000 fundraising campaign to build an extension onto their home so she can live out the rest of her days in comfort.

Linda Reynolds has been described by relatives as a "shell" of her former outgoing self since she suffered a stroke and two heart attacks. Before it happened, she loved nothing more than gardening and walking her dog, Tilly.

She was a resident at the St Crispin's Retirement Village in Duston when she was found laying face down on the floor in her apartment on April 19, 2021, covered in bruises, having suffered a stroke and a heart attack.

The family has raised concerns about the care given to Linda at the time she suffered the stroke and fear that she could have been laying in her room for some time before she was discovered.

But both Midland Heart, which manages the home, and EMH, which provides care, have said they have investigated the family's concerns and say that the proper processes were followed.

Linda's niece, Tammy Doherty, 46, from Delapre, said that Linda moved into the retirement village following her struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and kidney problems.

Tammy said: "She was frightened of being on her own. She was frightened of something happening and she thought someone would be there to help her quickly."

Tammy says that the home did not contact her mother to let her know that Linda was in hospital. The home has introduced new procedures around contacting next of kin following the family's complaint.

Linda was taken to hospital in an ambulance shortly after she was found, where she suffered a second heart attack.

Tammy said that doctors informed her and her mother, Sandra Chaman - Linda's sister - that if Linda had suffered that second heart attack in her apartment, it is likely she would not have survived it.

Linda spent eight weeks in hospital before she was discharged on June 4, 2021. She is now a resident at a nursing home in Daventry.

Talking about how Linda was before her stroke and heart attack, Tammy said: "She was really friendly. She loved her gardening, she was massive on that. Everyone who knew her would tell you that.

"Her and her friend, Shirley, used to sort the garden out. She loved going out for coffee and dressing up as a witch for Halloween and have one too many drinks.

"She was so outgoing but now it is like she is just a shell of herself. She is very depressed, she's not eating and she just cries because she wants to be with my mum and me."

Tammy described how Linda's health has rapidly deteriorated since the stroke, suffering with memory loss, being confined to her bed for 24 hours a day having lost the ability to walk and losing six stone in weight over the last year.

Linda's dearly loved pet dog, Tilly, sadly had to be rehomed as Linda is now longer able to take care of her but Tammy said the dog is "very happy."

Director of retirement living at Midland Heart, Sharon Alexis-Wilson, said: “Linda Reynolds' daily welfare checks were carried out by an independent care provider, who set clear expectations and arrangements with our customers to ensure they know how and when these checks will take place.

"While incidents like this are extremely rare we take them very seriously and swiftly carried out a thorough investigation at the time, alongside the independent provider."

Midland Heart said that the investigation found that EMH Homes' processes were followed and they carried out a welfare check on the morning of April 19, during which paramedics were called.

The company, however, admitted that improvements were needed to the way they make contact with customers' next of kin. Midland Heart said they have since implemented a new process where all residents have their next of kin's details displayed in their apartments so they can be contacted as quickly as possible in the event of an emergency.

Ms Alexis-Wilson added: “We would of course be willing to sit down with Linda's family and the independent care provider to discuss their concerns and our investigation in more detail.”

Ruth Jennings, executive director of care at EMH Homes, said: “We take the welfare of all our residents extremely seriously, whether they are housed by us, receive care services from us or, as Mrs Reynold’s did, have a daily support check within a scheme run by a housing association partner.

"We are sorry to hear of Mrs Reynolds’ continued ill health, and understand the upset this brings to her and her family.

“We and Midland Heart undertook a thorough investigation into the concerns raised by the family and as part of our own learning from the situation. The records show all daily checks were made, including over the weekend. Mrs Reynolds confirmed she was fine at this point.

"After concerns were raised by a neighbour on Monday morning, we immediately attended and called an ambulance.

“Our team are highly-skilled and committed people who were deeply impacted by the allegations. We are confident they were compassionate and that we completed the daily checks Midland Heart commissioned us to do.

"The investigation did show a better system was needed to inform next of kin, and Midland Heart has since implemented this.”

Tammy is now trying to raise £30,000 to build an extension onto her home to accommodate Linda's physical needs. Linda will need a wheelchair accessible room that will be big enough for a hospital bed, her own chair, a hoist and a wet room.

Tammy said: "It would mean the world to me because I know she will be happy. They told us that the rate she is deteriorating..." Tammy started to cry, "She might not survive to the end of the year.

"Watching someone just disappear and when you can't get help from anybody... I think that would make her so much better being around us because she misses us so much. She thinks we've forgotten about her and we haven't."

To find out more about Tammy's fundraiser or to make a donation, visit their Just Giving page here.