Sophia Aresti, 46, says Waltham Forest Council has ‘abandoned’ her in an assisted living home in Ilford that is not suited to her needs, reports Marco Marcelline
A disabled Chingford woman who suffered a severe stroke says she was “dumped” in an inaccessible assisted living facility in Ilford by Waltham Forest Council and then “forgotten about”.
Incapacitated by a severe stroke in 2021, Sophia Aresti, 46, was placed in an assisted living home in Ilford in April 2023.
She says she was initially told she would only be living there for a maximum of two months, but months turned into over two years as the council “relinquished” its responsibility to re-house her.
The Echo understands that Sophia was told to consider applying to Redbridge Council for housing but Redbridge told her she was ineligible because she had been placed in the home by Waltham Forest and was from Chingford.
Being a wheelchair user, Sophia says the property the council placed her in is “unsafe and unsuitable” and has repeatedly asked to be moved to a more accessible home in Chingford.
She is the only female in the home, which she shares with four men who have serious mental health conditions, including schizophrenia. Speaking to the Echo, Sophia said she is constantly woken up by shouting, banging, and loud music through the night.
“They’re just so loud, if they’re not banging stuff all night; they’re arguing with the care staff. Just last night, I was up until 5am because there was one guy who was walking around banging all night. I fell asleep for a bit but then another guy started putting his music on and banging.”
She adds: “I’ve been in the shower and they’ve tried to come in because they’re not fully aware I’m in there.”
The issues Sophia faces in the property are compounded by weight gain from a lack of physical activity, meaning she has now outgrown her wheelchair.
Matters are made worse by the fact that the property’s front door is not wide enough to accommodate a larger wheelchair. Sophia was told by her occupational therapist that she faces the prospect of developing sores if she stays in the same one.
She describes life at the assisted living home as bleak and uneventful, stating she spends the entirety of her day sitting down and by herself.
She said: “I’d wake up, and just be on the commode from 8am to 8pm; I wouldn’t go out or anything.
“There’d be different carers every single day. It was awful. I was just left on the commode – they wouldn’t take me out to the shops, nothing.”
Sophia says she just wants to be re-homed: “I need Waltham Forest to find me a home where I can be more independent. A home that is fully accessible and in Chingford, which is where I’m from. I want them to stop ignoring me.”
Councillor Louise Mitchell, the cabinet member for adults and health, said: “We have been working with Ms Aresti and her family for several years to support her. The level of care required in this case has unfortunately rendered several potential options unsuitable. In July this year, we made a referral for Ms Aresti to benefit from an Independent Advocate, who has now been assigned.
“We understand the frustration that this is causing for Ms Aresti and her family, and we continue to make every effort to work with them to achieve an appropriate long-term resolution where her needs can be met as soon as possible.”
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