'I spend 19 hours in bed': Home care pressures leave 89-year-old 'missing freedom'

Image caption, 'I don't want to live like a queen. I just want to live without worrying,' says Alison By Toni Connor  and  Eve Rosato , BBC News NI Published 1 July 2026, 00:01 BST An 89-year-old woman says she is routinely given her medication and helped to bed in the early afternoon because staffing pressures mean her full home care package is not being delivered. "I miss my freedom," she said. "I'll be 90 in September, so I need help... and I don't get the help that I need." As she lives alone and has a history of epilepsy and repeated falls, she says she can often spend up to 19 hours in bed until the carers return the following morning. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has apologised for the ongoing challenges with Alison's care package and will liaise with her GP to carry out a review of her medication arrangements. Warning: this story includes some distressing images. Alison said carers now give her an evening meal and sleeping medication during a "tea time call" at about 15:00 BST and help her to bed for the night. Alison stressed she is not forced into bed, but feels she has little choice, fearing she could fall and injure herself if she remains up alone. She relies entirely on trust-arranged domiciliary care following the death of her husband 14 years ago. Some rural areas could lose home care visits due to funding Published 5 May Funding increase of 78p for independent carers 'just not enough' Published 20 March Budget uncertainty threatens health services with major cuts Published 30 March Alison said her care package provides three daily visits for breakfast, lunch and an evening meal. However, she said the final visit now often takes place at about 15:00. During that visit, carers help her into bed, provide her evening meal and administer night-time medication, including sleeping tablets. She believes taking the medication several hours earlier than intended may have contributed to falls. She estimates she has suffered three major falls, along with numerous smaller slips, since the changes to her care routine. Alison said she had previously spent around two hours on the floor after one fall before receiving help. Image caption, Alison fell out of bed and caused significant bruising to her face Despite her concerns, she praised the carers themselves. "The girls are all very, very nice," she said. "But it's their timing that's a bit of a mix-up. It's not their fault." She said delays often leave her unable to plan her day because carers cannot always guarantee what time they will arrive. Image caption, Alison said carers now give her an evening meal and sleeping medication during an afternoon call The Northern Health and Social Care Trust apologised to Alison for the challenges with her care package, but said it was "regrettably" unable to facilitate a bedtime visit because of staffing pressures and increasing demand. The trust said Alison's third and final call of the day is a tea time call to help with her evening meal a