After Lawyering Up, Grandmother Gets Her Mother Discharged From St Vincent De Paul And Takes Her To USA
After a drawn out battle over paperwork, a grandmother has successfully released her mother from a Maltese care home and taken her to live comfortably with her in America.
Carol Brooks had first come to Malta back in May 2021, where she tried to release her 95-year-old mother Josephine from the St Vincent de Paul residence in Malta; however, she came across a serious hurdle when she discovered her brother had signed paperwork to keep her in Malta for safety reasons and over concerns that travelling to the USA was too stressful for her.
Now, Josephine is safely in the USA, and looking better than ever.
Left, Carol and Josephine before her release, right, Josephine in USA
Speaking to Lovin Malta, Brooks recounted how she sought the services of a lawyer in Malta, explained the situation to her, and took it to court.
“Our lawyer submitted all the documents, and we had to wait,” Brooks said. “Then, in late October, we found out we had won the case – and we were told this is the first time ever that a patient was let out in this way…”
Brooks wanted to share her story to let families know that “everyone in Malta has the possibility of getting their loved ones home with them”.
“Mum is doing so well now, she didn’t have any problems transferring to the US, and we have to say a special thank you to lawyer Natalia Camilleri for everything,” Brooks ended.
Brooks had originally come to Malta from the US after Josephine had a fall and ended up in St Vincent de Paul Residence.
She only planned for a three week stay in Malta, thinking she’d be able to sort out everything to take her mother back with her in this time.
However, she ended up staying for much longer, becoming desperate to take her mother back with her to care for her.
“I want to take my mother back to America, so she can be happy being with me and her family,” Brooks had told Lovin Malta. “I want to care for her medical and physically for her remaining life, she has no one in Malta, everyday she spends in SVP she deteriorates, she is with people that have serious dementia, she wants to leave and come with me.”
Speaking to Lovin Malta, St Vincent de Paul said that a number of considerations needed to be made whenever considering releasing someone from their care, such as their current health condition.
More than anything, they relied on the recommendations from doctors, consultants and even social workers on a case-by-case basis before they can take a decision to release someone from care.
“The well-being of the patient is always at the forefront of our decisions,” they said.
Do you think families should have the right to move their elderly loved ones between countries to be closer to their families? Let us know in the comments below
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