They are not going to the nursing home: 'We have been together for 64 years. Then I wouldn't hand him over?'

For 90-year-old Lex, who has been married to Magda for 64 years, home is the only place he wants to be. Despite a severe stroke in 2024 that has left him with limited mobility and speech, Lex receives daily care from his wife and home care worker Linda Vermeer. Vermeer, who has known Lex and Magda since childhood, helps him with essential tasks like showering and moving to his chair.

Lex's health history includes a heart condition, two TIAs, and a stroke, necessitating a walker and assistance for meals. His wife Magda meticulously prepares his food and manages his medication. While Lex is eligible for a nursing home, both he and Magda are adamant about him staying home. "I want him at home," Magda insists. "We have been together for 64 years, and then I would have to give him up?"

The article follows Vermeer on her rounds in Rozenburg, a village near Rotterdam, where she exclusively cares for elderly individuals living at home. Many of these clients, like Lex, would qualify for nursing home placement but choose to remain in their own residences. This trend is partly driven by the increasing difficulty of accessing nursing home care, which is expensive and faces staffing shortages, making home-based assistance a crucial alternative.

Vermeer's work provides the same level of care these individuals would receive in a facility, underscoring the dedication of home care professionals. The report notes that most of Vermeer's clients are women, many of them widows, highlighting a demographic reality in elder care. The article also touches upon the financial pressures leading to reduced services, with one mention of "cutbacks" impacting care.

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We have been together for 64 years and then I would have to give him up?