Great-grandmother enjoys 'heavenly new life' as Muir helps her escape prison-like home
A NINETY-ONE-YEAR-OLD great-grandmother is loving a heavenly new lease of life with Muir after becoming ‘imprisoned’ in her former home.
Cynthia Lightfoot became a Muir resident at the end of January, moving into a bungalow near Nantwich after not leaving her previous third floor flat for three years due to mobility issues.
The experience left Cynthia, who suffers with athritis and her husband Ted feeling cut off from the rest of the world, despite the best efforts of friends and family.
Her sense of social isolation increased when Ted (Edward), to whom she was married for 68 years, died in December.
But after moving to her “wonderful” new Wynbunbury home, she says she is once again able to enjoy many of the simple things in life that she could previously only look at through a window, such as walking past trees and fields, as well as having her family closer at hand.
“I have a different life now,” Cynthia said. “A totally different feeling.
“I am able to go outside and it is so pleasant here.
“I felt imprisoned inside my previous home but now I feel like I am able to see the world and enjoy the simple things.
“I have missed being among the birds, the trees and the fields, and I am much closer to my family now too.”
Cynthia had married Ted in 1948 after the couple had met at work.
The ex-serviceman, who would later become a salesman, was stationed in Berlin after the war but had got a job at the same place as Cynthia who was working as a fuel rationing clerk.
Having married, the pair lived in Weaverham for a while before moving to the third floor flat in Hertford, which, without any lifts, would many years later inadvertently imprison them as her athritis and Ted’s bad knees meant they were unable to climb the stairs.
“We weren’t even able to go shopping,” Cynthia said. “We had to rely on family and friends to get us things.
“They were all wonderful. I knew I couldn’t go on like that though – I didn’t want to.
“I felt like I had no life, but it is like heaven in my new home.”
Cynthia’s daughter, Carol, began looking for alternative accommodation for her mother via the West Cheshire Homes website, and within only a week, saw the Wynbunbury bungalow that would soon become her mother’s new home.
“I thought it might take months to find somewhere but we were very lucky, Carol said.
“My mother had a direct link to the area as she has lots of family here so we applied as soon as we could.
“We got in touch with Cheshire Home Choice website and wrote to Muir explaining my mother’s situation.
“Suddenly, everything began falling into place.”
As so as they got the green light, Cynthia’s granddaughter, Rebekah, organised a team of friends and family to decorate her new bungalow, and regularly pops in to see her as she lives just walking distance away.
“Everything moved so quickly, I never knew it could happen so fast,” Cynthia said.
“Muir did all they could to help. They have been marvellous.
“They are a good housing association to go to in circumstances like this.”
And it is not only Cynthia who is enjoying the move, but her family too, as they get to have her closer to hand meaning they can see her more often and enjoy more quality time.
“Now we can pop in more easily,” said grandson Oliver.
“It is also much more reassuring to have her just a few minutes away.”
And Cynthia’s three-year-old great-granddaughter agreed, having been able to show her how she has been riding her new bike for the first time.
“I like being close to nana,” she said.
Muir Group Housing Association Tenancy Services Officer, Sam Walton (pictured right, with Cynthia), worked with Cynthia and her family to process her new tenancy.
“We are thrilled to have helped Cynthia and her family to enjoy the quality of life that she deserves.
“Muir prides itself on having community values Cynthia now feels part of a community again having been socially isolated for so long.
“I am pleased to have played a part in making a positive difference to for them and hope Cynthia enjoys being a Muir resident and living in her new home.”