The family of a 90-year-old man who died after contracting Covid-19 at a care home say they had to wait EIGHT weeks for his belongings to be returned – only to find false teeth and dirty clothes belonging to someone else in the bag.
Raymond Nickson, from Timperley, Greater Manchester, was a resident at Swallowfield Garden Care Home in Horwich before he passed away.
Mr Nickson, a huge Manchester United fan and a keen gardener, contracted coronavirus at the home before passing away at Bolton Royal Hospital on October 5.
He had dementia and a number of mental health issues.
His daughter-in-law, Iris Nickson, claimed that following Mr Nickson’s death, his loved ones had to wait eight weeks for his belongings to be returned.
When they were returned, in a plastic bag, Ms Nickson said some of the clothes belonged to someone else and appeared ‘unlaundered and smelly’.
Pictured with his son Ian (right), Raymond Nickson, of Greater Manchester, died from Covid in October aged 90 and his family say care home took eight weeks to return all his belongings
Mr Nickson, a retired engineer and ‘amazing golfer,’ was cared for by the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation after he was left heartbroken following the death of his wife Connie (pictured, right, with Ray). After being diagnosed with dementia he was moved to a care home
She claimed another person’s false teeth were also in the bag.
Swallowfield Garden bosses said restrictions placed on care homes during the pandemic have been ‘extremely difficult’ and have made the return of people’s belongings challenging – as families are unable to go and ‘sort and collect’ items themselves.
Ms Nickson, 50, said: ‘I had to contact the coroner’s office to get them to arrange for his things to be sent.
‘They finally sent his belongings and many items were missing. We were also sent another man’s clothes and teeth.
‘It’s shocking. He was such a kind and gentle soul and a lovely man.’
The family were unhappy that Mr Nickson was moved to a home in Bolton from one in his home borough of Trafford.
Mr Nickson, a retired engineer and ‘amazing golfer,’ was cared for by the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation (GMMH) after he was left heartbroken following the death of his wife Connie in 2005.
His mental health began to deteriorate, Ms Nickson said, and he became a ‘shell of his former self’.
A stranger’s belonging that were given to the family of Raymond Nickson after his death
Mr Nickson then moved to a facility in Urmston, before moving to Heathside Care Home in Altrincham.
After being diagnosed with vascular dementia earlier this year, Mr Nickson was temporarily moved to GMMH’s Moorside Unit in Trafford, before being transferred to Swallowfield Garden on August 18 – just after Bolton went into local lockdown.
That decision, the GMMH said, was the most ‘clinically appropriate one’ due to the number of available beds.
On September 27, Mr Nickson tested positive for Covid-19. He was taken to hospital the next day before sadly passing away on October 5.
Ms Nickson said: ‘He had been really looking forward to his birthday party this year, but that couldn’t happen.’
She said the family raised concerns about Mr Nickson being cared for 25 miles away from his loved ones.
Ms Nickson said: ‘My husband doesn’t drive so it was a six-hour round trip on public transport to visit him through the window, or we had to get a taxi which we then expensed to the council.’
Ms Nickson claimed Trafford Council told her keeping her father-in-law in Trafford would be incredibly costly.
Raymond Nickson’s son and daughter-in-law, Ian and Iris Nickson said they were shocked when they realised they had been sent the wrong items which included a stranger’s teeth
Ms Nickson said: ‘We actually thought about re-mortgaging our house, but then we were told he would just be moved to Bolton when the money ran out,’ she added.
Andrew Maloney, deputy chief executive at GMMH said: ‘We offer our deepest condolences to Mr Nickson’s family.
‘We have been in contact with Mr Nickson’s family over many months to explain the reasons as to why Mr Nickson needed to move from our Moorside Unit in Trafford, to a facility which would be able to meet his needs.
‘The decision made was the most clinically appropriate one, and in line with all our practises, we kept Mr Nickson’s family involved and informed at all times.
‘Unfortunately, specialist mental health care is not always available near to the service user’s home, which is why in some circumstances, placements are made further afield.
‘We remain in contact with Mr Nickson’s family and continue to address their concerns.’
Pictured: Raymond Nickson with his son Ian who had to travel for three hours to see his father after he was moved out of Trafford to the care home in Bolton following his dementia diagnosis
A spokesman for Swallowfield Garden Care Home said: ‘During the outbreak, only two service users contracted Covid-19 and it has remained that way since the outbreak.
‘We thank everyone at this extremely difficult time for understanding the current epidemic, and the restrictions this puts on the care centres, in relation to the return of personal belongings, now that families are not able to come to sort and collect these.’
A spokesperson for Trafford Council said the authority ‘is aware of the situation and is working to address the concerns of the family’.
National organisation Care Campaign for the Vulnerable said it was supporting the Nickson family.