'My stairs are killing me' says Nancy, 82, as she pleads to be rehomed

A woman who is struggling to get up and down the stairs in her home is pleading with her housing association to rehome her.

Nancy Brewster, 82, has lived in her flat on Penny Lane for 28 years and has been waiting eight years for Onward Homes to move her to a ground floor flat or bungalow. Nancy has a number of health problems, including asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and was recently admitted to hospital with a heart complaint.

Nancy, who is originally from Sunderland, lives in a three-bedroom flat at the top of a two-storey building. She has been a tenant of Onward Homes (previously known as the Liverpool Housing Trust) for nearly 50 years.

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Each time she leaves her home, she has to make her way down 13 stairs, plus another 17 to get to the back door. Nancy told the ECHO: "The stairs are killing me. I could very easily take a tumble on them. I'm in despair over it."

When she first moved in, the housing association attempted to install a stairlift, but the idea was abandoned when fitters realised it would have obstructed door access for the other tenants in the property.

Onward Homes have previously offered her alternative housing, but Nancy claims their suggestions were unsuitable. She said: "The place they offered was on an estate in the middle of nowhere. There were no shops, nothing. No doctor's surgery or bus stop. I need somewhere I can easily access the doctor's. On an estate, I'd have to walk miles to get anywhere and I can't do it."

Nancy lives alone with her poodle, Zuki. Her sister died last year and she says Zuki is her sole companion. She is concerned that if she moves to sheltered housing she would have to give up her dog. She said: "I don't have family, Zuki's all I've got. I can't live without a dog."

Having Zuki around forces her to leave the flat to take the dog for a walk, but it is a daily struggle for her to get out and about with her pet.

A spokesperson for Onward Homes said: “We understand that this is a challenging situation for Ms Brewster and are actively supporting her request for another property. There is a shortage of homes locally, but we have been able to offer two bungalows in the area and a place in one of our local sheltered schemes, which would meet her needs.

"Unfortunately, these property offers have not been accepted. We hope that a long-term solution can be found soon and in the meantime we will check if we can provide Ms Brewster with any additional support.”

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