Elderly Man Travels From Schiermonnikoog to Terschelling to Visit Wife in Nursing Home

For Arij Boll, an 89-year-old resident of Schiermonnikoog, love knows no distance, even if the journey is arduous. Every two weeks, he embarks on a significant trip to visit his wife, Miny, who resides in a nursing home on the neighboring island of Terschelling. This journey, which he undertakes in his dark blue BMW, begins with a drive to the harbor, followed by a ferry crossing, and then another ferry, often consuming an entire day.

Miny, aged 90, has been living in the nursing home since June of last year after being diagnosed with dementia. While she initially remained at their home on Schiermonnikoog for two years with home care, the nights became increasingly difficult. "It's not working anymore, Arij," the doctor told him, as Miny would get out of bed in the middle of the night, believing it was morning and wanting to dress.

The lack of a nursing home facility on Schiermonnikoog, an island with only about 970 inhabitants, presents a significant challenge. Residents with dementia requiring extensive care often must relocate to the mainland or other islands. This separation is deeply felt, particularly by spouses left behind, as the travel distance and ferry connections make regular visits difficult and tiring. While other, more populous Wadden Islands have such facilities, the small scale of Schiermonnikoog makes specialized care provision seem unrealistic to the municipality.

Boll had hoped that Schiermonnikoog would develop its own nursing home, especially with the island receiving 10 million euros in national subsidies for livability, with 4 million allocated to healthcare. Plans for assisted living facilities are underway, but a dedicated nursing home is not part of the development. This means that individuals like Miny must move to the mainland, such as Dokkum, where they know no one, or to islands like Terschelling or Vlieland, which have smaller-scale care facilities despite having similar or even fewer inhabitants than Schiermonnikoog.

Ideally, Boll would have preferred to continue caring for Miny at home. "I thought I could manage that. But so much comes at you. The nights are particularly difficult," he admitted. Fortunately, one of their three sons lives on Terschelling, close to the nursing home, which eases some of the logistical burden. Despite the challenges, Boll expresses a strong desire to continue these visits for as long as possible, stating, "I hope to experience it: I'm not tired of the days yet."