Woman, 89, in 'absolute hell' as she hasn't been able to wash for months after bath chair broke

Lillian Briggs, 89, has been incapable to lavation herself since April aft her electrical bath seat broke - with her girl saying it has been 'hell' arsenic they hold for a caller 1 to beryllium installed

An Edinburgh pensioner with Parkinson's disease has been near successful a distressing situation, incapable to lavation for months aft her bath seat broke, leaving her household successful despair.

Lillian Briggs, 89, reported the breached instrumentality to her children backmost successful April, and since then, her girl Christine Burtt, 67, has been tirelessly liaising with the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership to unafraid attraction for her mother. Christine described the ordeal arsenic "hell" portion they await an occupational therapist's appraisal astatine Lillian's Saughton location to find if she qualifies for a replacement chair.

This is not the archetypal clip the aged pistillate has felt abandoned by the healthcare system; she antecedently endured an eight-hour hold for an ambulance successful 2021. Christine recounted the traumatic experience, saying: "After mum fell 5 years ago, she broke her hip. She waited 8 hours for an ambulance that day."

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she added: "Now, she has carers who travel successful each day. In April, her electrical bath seat broke." The deficiency of bathing facilities has taken a toll connected Lillian, who suffers from Parkinson's illness and has survived bosom attacks.

Christine, who manages Aquarius, a bustling antique and vintage store successful the metropolis centre, is besides advocating for a ramp astatine her mother's location but was informed that Lillian does not conscionable the criteria. Christine expressed her vexation and interest for their intelligence health: "Mum's intelligence wellness isn't good. Neither is mine. She's been connected the waiting database for a caller seat since April now.

"It's conscionable not bully enough. Mum said to maine 'the lassie broke the chair', truthful we deliberation it was 1 of the carers who came to spot her. It's been implicit hellhole for the past 5 years. It's conscionable not on. I've been incensed with rage. "My girl is an occupational therapist and she feels her granny is eligible. We conscionable request the help."

After increasing bushed of waiting, Christine decided to acquisition a caller bath seat retired of her ain pocket. She was past told she would request to hold for idiosyncratic to travel retired and instal it. Unfortunately, concerns implicit her parent are thing caller for Christine. She continued: "Back successful 2021, I phoned mum and she didn't answer. I drove circular and she was lying connected the floor. I phoned the ambulance astir 9 times, it was astir 1pm erstwhile I got determination and it was astir 8.45pm erstwhile the ambulance arrived."

Lillian's lad Robert Ewing spoke to the Daily Record astatine the time, aft she was near lying successful agony connected a hard floor. She suffered a treble fracture to her hip, and was trapped successful specified an awkward presumption her household were incapable to determination her for fearfulness of causing her much harm. At the time, Robert raged: "It is inhumane to permission idiosyncratic lying similar that. You wouldn't bash it to a dog.

"Something has got to beryllium done. My mum was looking aft my sister's 2 dogs for fractional an hr portion she popped out. When she didn't get immoderate reply she thought mum was either successful the plot oregon thing had happened truthful she went consecutive round. She lone lives 5 minutes away."

A girl has recounted the traumatic infinitesimal she recovered her aged mum injured connected the level and awaiting urgent help, recalling: "When she got determination she recovered my mum connected the floor. She was conscious but confused. She was lying connected the level with her feet sticking into the hallway and her assemblage successful the room betwixt the doorway and the units. We knew she had either breached her hep oregon her thigh bone. She besides had bruises connected her head."

Robert and Christine could lone marque Lillian comfy with a broad and pillow portion waiting for an ambulance. Following the incident, Lillian spent 12 weeks successful infirmary recovering.

Following the incidental successful 2021, a typical for the Scottish Ambulance Service expressed regret: "While we are constricted successful what we tin accidental owed to diligent confidentiality, we are precise atrocious for the hold successful reaching Mrs Briggs aft her fall, and we anticipation that she is recovering aft surgery. We are presently experiencing utmost unit owed to hospitals operating at, oregon near, afloat capableness and unit abstractions."

The Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership has been sought retired for a statement.