Marriage is a lifetime commitment that many people nowadays choose to abandon.
The statistics are higher than ever before and way too many marriages end up in divorce. For some people, however, separation is not optional but forced. Continue reading and discover how the story of a couple who were married for 69 years unfolds.
Audrey Goodine is 89-years-old while her husband, Herbert Goodine, is 91. They’ve been together for nearly eight decades with their marriage lasting for 69 years. Despite their undying love for each other, the couple recently received sad news.
They were staying together in a nursing home called Victoria Villa Special Care Home for the last three years. After the doctors discovered that Herbert’s dementia is getting worse, the administration decided to move him to a more suitable location. This meant that he and Audrey might never be able to see each other again.
With such news coming up right before Christmas, the couple was devastated, and their family outraged. After all, a forced separation after living together for 73 years is not an option that many would take lightly.
Dianne Phillips, the couple’s daughter, received the nursing home’s explanation via e-mail. “I read this message over several times in disbelief of how can anyone be so cold and cruel to do this a week prior to Christmas,” she mentioned on Facebook. “My request during the day Friday was to simply extend my father’s residency until the end of this week. However, my repeated request was ignored.”
At Victoria Villa, however, they see things differently. “At that point, I have to follow those rules and regulations set by the government,” Jennifer Eagan, the owner of Victoria Villa Special Care Home, said. “In fact, it’s against the law for me not to follow those rules,” she continued after explaining that Herbert’s diagnosis called for Level 3 care and her nursing home is rated as a Level 2 institution.
While Dianne acknowledged her father’s cognitive deficiencies, she also explained that the disease is still in early stages. According to her, the nursing home should follow the protocols in a more sensitive way, and avoid moving Herbert before Christmas. “I feel people need to know what a flawed system we have in place,” Dianne wrote on Facebook. “Two words describe it: ‘unethical’ and ‘cruel.’”
Luckily, Dianne managed to get the couple together for Christmas after all. She is now doing her best to have them both moved to the same nursing home.
This beautiful couple deserves to stay together until they meet their end. Despite countless appeals, the flaws of the law seem to have prevailed once again. Please help us raise the awareness about this couple and help them reunite by sharing this post with your loved ones.