A Scots pensioner says she feels like a ‘prisoner in her own home’ after having her leg amputated.
Linda Allan, from Irvine, has been sleeping, eating, bathing, and going to the toilet in the living room of her council flat since her operation in September.
The 66-year-old is unable to her wheelchair through the doors on her home and is waiting for North Ayrshire Council to provide her with an accessible property, or make adaptations to the ground-floor flat.
She currently feels ‘trapped’ by the situation and says her only contact is with carers who come to feed, wash and change her.
Linda told the Record: “I feel like I’m in a prison. I’m trying to get a house and the council just keep saying they’re looking but it is now six months later.
“The wheelchair is too big to fit through any of the doors, including the front door. I don’t have any family here so I only see carers who come in.”
Linda said council staff visited her home to assess it at Christmas time, but that she hasn’t received any word from them on what action the plan to take.
She added: “The council came to the house to measure up for adaptations in December. I told them I was also willing to move, but I’ve not heard anything since.
“Four doors need to be widened and a wet room fitted for me to stay, but I will have to leave while the work is done so I’d be as well just moving.”
Linda had her right leg amputated at the knee last year following issues that resulted from a broken leg.
She continued: “I was in a lot of pain with my leg before the amputation. I had half a dozen different operations but it wouldn’t heal properly due to my diabetes.
“I thought that I would get a prosthetic leg after the operation but they had to take more away than they first thought so it’s not possible to have one fitted any more.
“A new home would be the best thing for me. “
A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “All allocations of housing are made in line with the North Ayrshire Housing Allocation Policy, which is needs based, with points allocated based on the circumstances of the applicant including their accessible housing needs.
“Council officers are sympathetic to these tenants’ circumstances and are working with her, in conjunction with our partners within the Health and Social Care Partnership, to try to identify housing which meets her needs.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
