'My brother with learning disabilities is being neglected - he hasn't had a shower in months'

Frederick Longhurst with his hands clasped looking up in his assisted living home in Barnehurst
-Credit: (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon)


A Bexley grandmother is worried her brother with learning difficulties has been 'neglected' by the council, claiming he has not been able to have a shower in his home for 'months'. Beverley McDermott, 70, has lived in Bexley borough her whole life, having grown up as the younger sister to her brother Fred Longhurst, 71.

Ms McDermott said her brother was born with learning disabilities which have severely affected his ability to communicate verbally. Mr Longhurst has stayed in an assisted living home in Barnehurst since October 2017 with two other individuals and full-time carers.

The gran said she visits her brother once a month and that earlier in the year, she noticed the water pressure of the taps in the property was particularly low. Ms McDermott asked carers in the home about the issue and was told that the water pressure was so weak that her brother and other clients at the property were being strip-washed instead of receiving showers.

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Beverley McDermott holds her brother Fred's hand as they smile
Ms McDermott said she is worried for her brother's hygiene due to the water pressure issues in his home -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Ms McDermott told MyLondon: "They told me about the water pressure and that they are not having showers. For us to go without a shower for a day or two, we just don't like it. For them to be left for months just having strip-washes – we're going back to the 1950s." She added: "They are filling a bowl of water, but doing it in small bowls and transferring it from the tap… They said to me that they have not had a shower for months."

The sister said she suspects the issue may be due to a leak in the front driveway of the property which she first noticed in April this year. Two reports on the leak were added to FixMyStreet in August for Bexley Council to investigate. However, the authority closed both reports last week, claiming the land was not maintained by the council and the matter had been referred to Thames Water for resolution.

Frederick Longhurst poses for photos in Bexleyheath, South London, Britain 30 August 2024. Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon
Mr Longhurst's learning difficulties have affected his ability to communicate verbally -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

A Thames Water spokesperson told MyLondon that the company first attended the property in June following reports of low water pressure. They confirmed that the cause of the issue was the leak outside the front of the home, but claimed the defect was on the property’s private pipework and was the responsibility of the owner, Bexley Council, to resolve.

The spokesperson said that the authority was offered support to fix the repair in June but no response was received. They added that a repair would be carried out on September 26, with the council being charged for the works costs unless the authority made alternative arrangements before then.

Ms McDermott said that aside from the issues regarding water pressure, the front and back gardens of the property have also become wildly overgrown in the past year with tall grass, weeds and stinging nettles. The sister said: "They couldn't come out here, and Fred used to love being in the garden. He is a fresh air person, he really is."

The overgrown garden in Frederick Longhurst's assisted living home in Bexleyheath
The sister said her brother's garden at the property has not been properly maintained in recent months -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Ms McDermott said her brother and the other clients at the home used to equally pay for a gardener to trim the greenery on the property. Copies of financial records from last year seen by MyLondon appeared to show gardening fees of between £66 and £84 being paid on behalf of Mr Longhurst every three to four months, with Ms McDermott claiming no payments or further works have been carried out this year to tackle the overgrown gardens.

She said: "They used to have a gardener and he would cut the grass and that. It wasn’t brilliant, but it was maintained." The sister added that several of the amenities in Mr Longhurst’s home are 'falling to pieces'. She said staff at the property have not maintained furniture she bought for her brother on his behalf, including dining chairs and a garden swing chair.

She said: "They have just left it to go to rack and ruin. That [garden swing chair] was over £500.” Ms McDermott sent a letter to several members of Bexley Council’s cabinet on August 18, highlighting the issues in her brother’s property.

Beverley McDermott holds her brother Fred's hand as they smile
Ms McDermott said her brother used to love being in the garden and is a fresh air person at heart -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

The letter, seen by MyLondon, said she was worried the 'atrocities' in the home would affect her sibling’s personal hygiene and asked for a response within five working days, but she said she is yet to receive any update. She said: "It's an absolute disgrace as far as I’m concerned. It’s neglect for these vulnerable people. I just don’t know what to say."

A Bexley Council spokesperson told the LDRS: "We are aware that there have been some issues at this property and are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to Bexley residents. We have been working with Thames Water and the care provider responsible for the property to support Bexley residents and to resolve the issues as quickly as possible."

They added: "Thames Water have been on site at the property and have dealt with all of the water issues. Our team are continuing to work with the care provider to ensure that any issues with garden maintenance and furniture in the property are dealt with swiftly. "

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